The scheme: Typical multi-level marketing company, using the guise of “direct sales” to make the business look like a legitimate retail venture. The reality is that it’s nothing more than a recruiting scheme like Usana, Mary Kay, Arbonne, PrePaid Legal, Primerica, Herbalife, United First Financial, and so many other companies that make big promises to members, but provide little actual reward to 99%.

The founder: Dallin Larsen founded MonaVie. He used to work for Usana Health Sciences, and actually helped found Usana. He helped grow the associates to 70,000 and helped make up the compensation plan. Then he ditched out and started his own company

The product: Acai berry juice plus other fruit juices. I like to call this “magic berry juice.” It supposedly cures whatever ails you and there’s never been anything quite like it on the market. If you study multi-level marketing companies, you will see that one very common characteristic is some unique/special product that is hard to find and has never been offered before. It typically has magical powers and is so powerful that it justifies a high retail price. In reality, the high prices are not because the products are so good, but because there are so many levels of the pyramid which must be paid commission.

The cost: A bottle of the berry juice runs around $40. If you drink the recommended amounts, the bottle will last you about a week, which means the cost is about $5.71 a day. That’s an expensive way to get your vitamins. Excessively so.

The compensation: Here is the detail to the MonaVie compensation plan. Like a typical MLM, it’s got a complicated points – commission – points – bonus – override – incentive system. You build two legs to your downline, and qualify for commission based on the shorter leg. That longer leg? Too bad. Bonuses stop wherever the shorter leg ends. You can usually be sure of one thing in MLMs: The more complicated the pay plan, the less it benefits the members. And oooh… you can have up to “four business centers.” That means more purchases of products by you in order to get your commissions!

The product scam: There are apparently no scientific studies that prove the alleged benefits of the MonaVie juice. There’s no denying that there is nutritional value to the juice, just like any other juice. It’s the extraordinary health benefits claimed that are suspect. (Of course, the company disclaims any knowledge of cures claimed by the “independent” distributors.)

The recruiting scam: As with other MLMs, the company’s focus appears to be on recruiting, rather than retailing the product. Of course, the product is integral to the scheme. Without it, MonaVie could easily be called a pyramid scheme. With the product, we’re not supposed to identify the company as an endless chain recruiting scheme or pyramid scheme. And until the FTC decides to enforce the laws against pyramiding, many will believe that a company like MonaVie is perfectly legal and legitimate.

The commission scam: In order to qualify for commissions, a distributor must order at least 4 bottles of juice per month, which amounts to about $130 plus shipping and taxes. This is a common part of the MLM game: You can’t get your commissions unless you buy a minimum amount of their products. MLM supporters say “Well of course you’ll be selling the products so that minimum purchase isn’t a problem.” The truth is that very little actual retailing goes on in these companies because consumers are smart. The required purchases are usually not sold to a legitimate retail customer.

115 Comments

  1. Renata Scherer 06/30/2008 at 8:15 am

    In Brazil (this company has just opened our market) we can get an açaí’s juice for ONE DOLAR.

    This product is highly overpriced and totally unecessary for our consumers. It’s sad to see people “falling” for this kind of scheme.

  2. Michael Goode 06/30/2008 at 10:59 am

    Acai berry juice is quite good and healty. Problem is that there are a bunch of companies competing to sell it. Tropicana has a nice acai juice blend that is very yummy. A trip to Whole Paycheck (Whole Foods) would enable you to find 100% pure acai juice for much less than the MonAvie crap (a mon avis ce produit est nul!)

    I wrote about a pump & dump scam penny stock hawking acai juice a couple months ago. I guess crappy companies and MLM scams have no new ideas about what to ‘sell’.

  3. Eric 06/30/2008 at 12:22 pm

    I recently read that 30,000 people in Brazil have enrolled in MonaVie. Do you think they are all wrong?

  4. Tracy Coenen 06/30/2008 at 12:26 pm

    Eric – I believe they’ve all been lied to. Big difference.

  5. Eric 06/30/2008 at 12:27 pm

    Lied to about what?

  6. Tracy Coenen 06/30/2008 at 12:32 pm

    About the income opportunity and their chances of making more than a few pennies via these schemes. You know – the typical MLM lies about big income, little work, fabulous product and everything that goes along with the scam they’re selling.

  7. Lee D 06/30/2008 at 12:59 pm

    For forty bucks a bottle, it better be 100-proof alcohol, and come with a lap dance.

  8. Chad Bordeaux 06/30/2008 at 1:45 pm

    I am not that good of a salesman. I can’t imagine that I could ever sell a $40 jug of juice to anyone regardless of the beneifts. I would get stuck paying the $130 a month myself.

  9. gap 06/30/2008 at 2:01 pm

    I recently read that 30,000 people in Brazil have enrolled in MonaVie. Do you think they are all wrong?

    well, this is not a good argument. Someone could argue that millions of Germans that supported the Nazis were right, and all those millions of Americans that supported the Iraq war were right, and i don’t think they were right. The crowd are always making mistakes, huges mistakes, and in this case – the brazilians enrolling in Monavie -, they’re believing that Monavie it’s a solid business opportunity, but it’s not.
    Here, in Brazil, we can buy açai for pennies, we don’t need a company from New Zealand selling our own product back to us, and worse, not for pennies but for forty bucks, that’s too much for a single juice, although the Monavie members could argue that is not a “single juice” but a “Super hyper mega juice”. I don’t buy this argument.
    There’s a lot of good opportunities to make some extra bucks, and, believe me, Monavie is not one of those opportunities.

  10. Renata Scherer 06/30/2008 at 7:04 pm

    Me too. I’d never be able to sell this juice in my country for the suggested price.

  11. Candace 07/02/2008 at 8:44 am

    Hi Tracey, I don’t know if we can post links here, but we are having a lot of interesting discussion about the whole MonaVie thing over here:
    http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/monavie-scam-was-my-wife-recruited-sell-snake-oil/
    And we are in agreement with your synopsis of the business known as “MonaVie”

    Thank you for posting this article and bringing this to people’s attention.

  12. Jamie 07/04/2008 at 1:04 am

    It is quite fascinating watching the growth of the acai berry and all the products that are coming on the market. MonaVie had a lot to do with the hype and media exposure.

    If you can’t afford the $40 price tag of MonaVie, you can find cheaper acai drinks at your local grocery store for around $5, such as the V8-Fusion Acai Mixed Berry and Tropicana Raspberry Acai drink. Both those products taste great too.

  13. Richard Walker 07/08/2008 at 9:50 pm

    One of the most cleverly – disguised frauds of all time:

    “Essentials of Corporate Fraud” by self – proclaimed expert, Tracy Coenen. Solutions, please?!

    Anyone can point a finger – but to get paid to criticize is a real art!

    Now available from one retailer for the unbelievably low, low price of:
    $39.95 Online, or $35.95 Members only. Talk about a “scam!”

  14. Ray Elms 07/10/2008 at 12:13 pm

    Well, first you lie Tracey about the real cost. It can be purchased for $130 a case (which is 4 bottles) which is $32.50 a bottle. thats already a $7.50 lie. Also, if multiple cases are purchased the cost gets even lower, $20 or even
    lower per bottle depending on the amount purchased. 2ndly, it is being
    compared to other fruit drinks on the market. Do those have 19 berries including the acai berry? Do they also contain glucosamene? This is a
    super-nutrient drink that actually can be purchased at a good price. Also
    visit blackdiamond university to check the details on how to get financially
    secure, rather than be based on your not-so-smart opinion.

  15. Tracy Coenen 07/10/2008 at 6:35 pm

    MonaVie retails their silly berry juice for around $40 a bottle, exactly like I said.

  16. VKitty 07/12/2008 at 6:58 pm

    You all say that $40 a bottle is expensive or cost to much. Well it has been said that one bottle will last a week. How much does a nice bottle of wine or something, alcoholic like that cost, easily much more that $40, and that will only last one night!

    Why is that ok, but something that is good for you is too expensive??

  17. Tracy Coenen 07/12/2008 at 7:22 pm

    Because the same silly berry juice can be bought much cheaper if you’re not purchasing from an MLM scheme. 🙂

  18. me 07/13/2008 at 7:17 pm

    Monavie is not a scam or scheme, it is the fastest growing network in the U.S. and soon the world. Do your homework first. If you have eyes and ears, use them. There are 20,000 distributors a week getting into Monavie. They have a patent on the way they flash freeze the acai berry, and Coca Cola tried to purchase it. If you don’t want a part of this just go punch your clock and stay out of the way.

  19. Mark 07/16/2008 at 2:02 pm

    I think Mona Vie si a good product, but it is pretty expensive. With the economy dropping like it is (and the financial system collapsing), people are going to be less willing to pay this kind of money for acai products.

  20. Guy Gordon 07/22/2008 at 11:53 am

    Ray Elms accuses Tracy of lying about the price. He then proceeds to calculate the cost per bottle by ignoring the shipping and taxes. He also praises MonaVie for having *19* berries in it, (as opposed to 17, or 8, or whatever) as well as glucosamine which you can get anywhere.

    “Me” says this is not a scam or scheme, and then proceeds to praise not the product, but how fast it’s growing, and a worthless patent on freeze drying. His last line is a classic — exactly what I expect to hear from people pushing worthless stocks.

    I came searching for info on MonaVie because two people told me they feel better for drinking it. And I believe them. Of course, they could simply have needed more fruit in their diet.

    It’s the comments by the *supporters* of MonaVie have convinced me this is a scam.

  21. Mark 07/22/2008 at 4:22 pm

    Guy:

    It is not a scam, in the sense that MonaVie does supply nthe antioxidants that may be what cause people to feel “good”. It is an expensive way to go. MonaVie formulates their drink to provide about 1000 ORAC units per serving (1 oz, or rioughly 30 grams weight). At $45 per 250 oz. bottle, this is $1.80 per ounce.

    1.25 ounces of pomegramnte juice (POM) supply the same anti-oxidants. At Fresh Direct you can get 48 oz. of POM for $11.99 (I think I pay $10 something for it locally), this is $0.30 for a 1.25 ounce sserving. Concord Grape juice is a little better than pomeranate juice, snd you can get it pretty cheaply.

    Now MonaVie and other “designed” products may offer more than anti-oxidants, but a good way to start, and see if you feel a difference is to try some of these more cost effective choices. I am not sure MonaVie is worth it in the end, personally. It is just far too much money.

  22. quixtarisacult 07/25/2008 at 3:05 pm

    Seems that Orrin Woodward is now the subject of a Forbes article that should be required reading for anyone interested in all things Tool Scam:

    http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2008/0811/050.html

    I have been reporting for some time how lucrative the tool kingpin business can be. I don’t see any transparency from the remaining Quixtar Kingpins. We have a product scam, tool scam, and commission scam. We are not having any honesty scams, that is the sad news.

  23. Candace 07/25/2008 at 5:31 pm

    For all of you MonaVie distributors **making even one comment about MonaVie** you do realize that you are in violation of the basic policies and procedures that MonaVie has required you all to abide by…right?

    Or did that somehow fly right by **all** of you?

    Here is the link, be sure to read sections 5.3, 5.4, and 5.12 YOU and YOU ALONE are liable for any and all comments you make about MonaVie the business or the effects of drinking MonaVie.

    http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:RQBvXqjiuPcJ:www.monavie.com/pdf/us/policies_procedures.pdf+monavie+policies+and+procedures&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&client=firefox-a

    That includes comments on websites, blogs, chatrooms, etc. This includes comments, testimonials, redirecting to your website, and just any comment about MonaVie at all period. **Read it again if you missed it the first time.**

    And if you were required to sign that agreement when you “got in”, just who do you think the FTC will be taking a look at?

  24. Vinny 07/29/2008 at 5:28 pm

    Monavie is a scam!!!!! Some jerk I know convinced alot of people I know at work to join this STUPID company and every single one of them has lost money while this idiot drives around in his 90,000 car that he leases. Of course he lives at home with mom and dad. If you look at the Income disclosure statement that Monavie puts out themselves you can clearly see that 95% of all distributors for the year 2007 made less than $10000. Get a Life people.

  25. Joyce Lewis 08/01/2008 at 11:51 pm

    I signed up for the MonaVie business opportunity in March of this year. I have worked really hard to build this business and have invested hundreds of dollars into the MonaVie business to try to make a go of it. Throughout my time in MonaVie, the local leaders in our area: Todd Bishop and Amy Freeman have encouraged me to continue to invest my money and time and would be a Black Diamond inside of a year if I worked hard.

    I have now come to realize that Amy Freeman and Todd Bishop have done nothing but lie to me and my family and made fraudulent statements to me and my friends so that we would continue to invest our money in MonaVie. They claim that anyone can make the money they are making if they spend enough money and time.

    Everything Todd and Amy has told me is nothing but lies. I now know they only helped me so that I would buy more product to further their business. Monavie is a good product, but the company is horrible. They reward lying thieves like Todd Bishop and Amy Freeman and take money from hard working people like my family. Everyone I have brought into the MonaVie business is not quiting because of Todd and Amy’s lies.

    I hope someone will shut them down before they spread more hurt.

  26. Mark 08/02/2008 at 1:29 pm

    Folkls:

    I just wrote an article (plus individual reviews) of six common acai and super-fruit products. I do various comparisons, and use MonaVie as the standard. MonaVie does quite well (using their stated values), but costwise, at least as a source of anti-oxidants, it is pretty expensive.

    Take a look:

    Acai and Super-fruit Juice Comparisons

    Joyce:

    I am, sorry to hear your experiences. I am not a fan of the MLM business model. I do not know the people you mention, so I cannot comment directly on them personally, but the MLM model allows false claims to be spread, and the main company (MonaVie) is somewhat insulated from liability. They can say, so-and-so were not following our policy, etc.

  27. Mark 08/04/2008 at 2:25 pm

    Acai price reductions are becoming reality. Not only the super-fruit juices, but you can now get freeze dried acai powder for $39 per POUND. That’s 423.6 grams. Compare Sambazon, 90 grams typically $20 (that’s about $94 per pound). I am sure we will see price reductions from Sambazon, too.

    Go here:

    Acai Freeze Dried Powder $39 per POUND

  28. Tracy Coenen 08/04/2008 at 2:28 pm

    I just found out that Acai tastes HORRRRRRRRIBLE. Who can choke down that stuff.

  29. Mark 08/04/2008 at 3:28 pm

    Tracy:

    I must disagree. What did you eat?

    The berry by itself is admittedly not very tasty. In large Brazilian cities, the popular (and tasty) way to eat acai is in acai bowls. This is acai berry, guarana syrup and sugar. They then top this with typically banana and granola.

    The acai frozen pulp mixture on http://www.acai-berry.tv tastes quite good. I have taste tested it on several adults, and they all lked it. In fact, I see this as almost a gourmet item. (see: Acai Berry Pulp)

    Also some of the juices taste pretty good, especially when blended with other fruits (like pomegranate). I do like the Bossa Nova acai juice, but some people may take some time to get used to it.

  30. eric 08/06/2008 at 5:13 am

    this question is for Vinny..
    where do you get the Income disclosure statement ?
    I read many thing you all said, but everything are just comment..no acutal prove
    show me some prove

  31. Brian 08/08/2008 at 6:19 pm

    What everyone is missing is that none of these companies would be in business if they were “pyramid schemes” as Tracy suggests, those are illegal and the FTC does shut them down. MLM is not for everyone and if you are weak minded and can’t see what it takes to do this kind of business then you need to go work a plain dead end job and retire broke like many American’s will do. Corporate America is the “pyramid” and it is said by experts that not only are more people going to get involved with MLM companies over the coming years, we will see more self made millionaires in this country than ever before. People are tired of being over-worked and under paid and if you can see the big picture, you will realize that everything is going to change over the coming years due to the economy.

    As far as MonaVie, I absolutely have to have it everyday and I can see what it takes to make it in a business such as this. I will not go into what it has done for me, because it effects people differently. I will say that if you are broke and have to buy it one bottle at a time, then go find something else to consume. I buy it in bulk and consume 4 ounces a day which works out to be approx. $3.25/day, that is an energy drink which is so very bad for you. If you look at the product and believe in what it can do for individuals, it can set you free. That is really what MLM is all about. Finding something that you believe in and people will see that. Don’t waste even 1 minute on someone that cannot see the product and understand what it can do for them.

    Tracy, recognize that regardless of what anyone says, less than 5% of America will acutally make it to a millionaire status due to people such as yourself that speak about things in a negative manner and discourage those who may have a will to succeed. What other type of company has a business model where you can pass up who sponsored you in the business? Not a pyramid!

  32. Tracy Coenen 08/08/2008 at 7:42 pm

    Brian – Unfortunately, the FTC almost never enforces the laws against pyramid schemes against companies like Monavie (and Usana, and Shop to Earn, and MyPowermall, and Mary Kay…) which are nothing more than recruiting schemes hidden behind products.

    And you should be aware that people don’t fail to make it to millionaire status because I expose frauds and scams. 99% of people will lose money in MLMs, so they surely aren’t getting to millionaire status.

  33. Galen 08/11/2008 at 2:41 pm

    I can’t believe there really are stupid idiots backing up Monavie. It’s true, there is a sucker born every day. A loser I know actually tries to sell the stuff. He had business cards made up and everything! How embarrassing. Another thing, if Coca Cola really wanted to buy Monavie, don’t you think Monavie would have sold out to them, you stupid idiot!

  34. Brian 08/11/2008 at 10:27 pm

    Galen,

    Why would a billion dollar company sell out to Coca Cola when they are just getting started? If you are basing your experience on one LOSER as you call him, then you are just ignorant. At least he is trying to better his life and himself. It seems as though you are the one that needs to take a step back and look at yourself, afterall, what kind of person puts people down like you do. All that post did was make yourself look foolish.

    Tracy,

    The FTC cannot touch Mona Vie and if I am wrong, I challenge any and all to prove it to me with hard facts. 99% of people in MLM’s lose money because they don’t do anything with it, not because it is a scheme. Which brings me back around to the negative individuals that discourage people. You obviosly have no idea about mathematical certainty and what it takes to make it in any business or any business sense. Hard work! Most poeple are brainwashed about what it takes to make it in this country. Anybody that wants it bad enough can go out and make it happen, go ask any self made millionaire.

  35. Stefan 08/11/2008 at 10:58 pm

    People fail at making millionare status everyday, but you can’t blame people for trying. Most people are just slaves to jobs anyway, working under some “pyramid scheme” for other “millionares”(which you may also do). But please give the bashing a rest. I’m neither for nor against MLMs. Have you (tracy) actually tried the program? As for Galen, maybe you should know less losers.

  36. Tracy Coenen 08/11/2008 at 11:03 pm

    Brian – The FTC can touch MonaVie, they just choose not to.

    Stefan – I don’t have to sign up for MonaVie to know that it’s a recruiting scheme in which 99% of people lose money.

    Sorry guys, but I’ve spoken to thousands of people who have participated in MLMs, and 99% don’t lose money because they’re all lazy. They lose money because pyramid schemes guarantee that 99% will lose money.

  37. Brian 08/11/2008 at 11:48 pm

    Tracy you are full of it, this blog is a crock and you really don’t understand what the hell you are saying. it is obvious that your negative personality is the reason you see and feel the way you do.

    Please elaborate on your statement of why the FTC chooses not to. There is absolutely nothing illegal about Mona Vie whatsoever.

    What a waste you and this blog are.

  38. Galen 08/11/2008 at 11:57 pm

    Brian,

    You’re a fool! Do you really believe that Monavie is a bilion dollar company. You know what, you deserve to be involved with Monavie. Here’s a clue, whenever you want to get involved in a business opportunity, Google the name of the business, in this case Monavie, and the word SCAM, and if a lot of articles pop up, uh, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to get involved. God, that’s really sad.

    Galen

  39. Tracy Coenen 08/12/2008 at 8:05 am

    The FTC doesn’t enforce the laws against pyramid schemes (which most MLMs are… they just hide it well) mainly because of the lobbying of the Direct Selling Association (the member-run organization dedicated to making sure the laws aren’t enforced against their members) and because of political contributions to the right people. Amway was the pioneer in lining the pockets of the right politician, and the situation still exists today.

  40. Galen 08/12/2008 at 6:36 pm

    Tracy,
    Amway, Mary Kay, Monavie, do not hide their MLM schemes well. It just takes common sense to know they’re scams. I’m done here. This is really sad.
    Galen

  41. Tracy Coenen 08/12/2008 at 6:38 pm

    Well they do recruit millions of consumers each year collectively, so they’re fooling someone!

    🙂

  42. Galen 08/12/2008 at 6:44 pm

    That’s why I find it sad. Now I’m really done. The end.

  43. Joyce Lewis 08/12/2008 at 11:47 pm

    I signed up for the MonaVie business opportunity in March of this year. I have worked really hard to build this business and have invested hundreds of dollars into the MonaVie business to try to make a go of it. Throughout my time in MonaVie, the local leaders in our area: Todd Bishop and Amy Freeman have encouraged me to continue to invest my money and time and would be a Black Diamond inside of a year if I worked hard.

    I have now come to realize that Amy Freeman and Todd Bishop have done nothing but lie to me and my family and made fraudulent statements to me and my friends so that we would continue to invest our money in MonaVie. They claim that anyone can make the money they are making if they spend enough money and time.

    Everything Todd and Amy has told me is nothing but lies. I now know they only helped me so that I would buy more product to further their business. Monavie is a good product, but the company is horrible. They reward lying thieves like Todd Bishop and Amy Freeman and take money from hard working people like my family. Everyone I have brought into the MonaVie business is not quiting because of Todd and Amy’s lies.

    I hope someone will shut them down before they spread more hurt.

    http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/monavie-c83429.html
    http://www.oprah.com/community/message/766634
    http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/356/ripoff0356764.htm
    http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=44032&highlight=monavie

  44. Sam 08/17/2008 at 12:27 am

    MLM >= Pyramid scheme. I have plenty of friends who have drank the KoolAid (or in this case drank the “Monavie”. I also experience random phone calls from people that I have not spoken to in months who all of the sudden want to share some crap with me. I have drank the juice, read the materials, etc. No doubt it makes you feel better than if you had been drinking soda and eating chips all day, but for $40 a bottle…… nope.
    I was suckered into one of these scams when I was 18. I spent lots of money to “get started” and eventually gave up because they were inconsistent with pay. Plenty of unpaid “business meetings” and other crap that they made me sit through was typical of this company.
    Bottom line, a few get rich off of this scheme, but most just end up with less money than they started with. If you are part of this and have any feelings that you may have been suckered into it, quit now. It’s ok to admit that you have been duped. Humility is a virtue. I have had to work hard to get the life that I wanted, but it is attainable, doesn’t happen quickly or easily, but the reward of being where I want to be is more rewarding than the feeling that I had with my MLM experience. Not bashing anyone, just sharing my experience. Good luck.

  45. Fiona Lloyd 08/22/2008 at 12:40 am

    It really saddens me , that scammers working for Mona Vie keep posting. It is quite simply a pyramid scheme where people pay $130 a month to sell a product with a 300 percent mark up for them. Why would you pay someone to work for them!!!? It is also completely immoral- when the bottom falls out ,all those desperate people who got in last will be left out of pocket

  46. Ben Sargeant 08/23/2008 at 12:07 pm

    I grew up with the MonaVie founder Dallin Larsen. He is a total flake. His favorite trick back then was stealing tips off the tables when leaving a restaurant. Even then it seemed he was always sizing people up for a score. I’ve heard he’s left his church and is pursuing Scientology. Again, total flake.

  47. Billy the Crud 08/25/2008 at 2:58 pm

    My wife brought home a MonaVie couple who gave us a bottle to try and showed us a great DVD where hardly anyone talked about the juice…….they just frolicked on sailboats, drove expensive cars, and talked of how many people were “under” them. I was further sickened as a man with no shoes, scaled a tree to pick the berries, while being so obviously impoverished that I had to comment to them “There’s a guy who makes a dollar a day”. The wife of the couple then turned to me and said in a totally brainwashed tone “Monavie gives back”. Ok………..give the berrypicker a trip to Aruba and sportscar. This company makes me ill and is profiting from the hard labor of others. While the juice may have benefits that make you feel better than drinking Coke and eating chips, it is not allowed in my home. I’ll buy Acai from whole foods, if I want these benefits.

    Up yours, MonaVie!!!

  48. Norman 08/28/2008 at 10:09 pm

    My friend was on it for a year spending about $260 (8 bottles) a month to earn a overidding commission of just $55! She quitted after a year realising her foolishness and no real health benefits.

  49. Saul Giminez 09/01/2008 at 9:17 am

    Just my 2 cents.

    This is network marketing. If you work hard at it you cna make a solid income. Just like advancing up the corporate ladder you can advance in network marketing. You are right in saying most people fail at it. But a few can make it. The difference between these two types of people is there will to succeed and stick to it just like any other job. If you quit networking then you lose your income just like if you quit working.

    Yes, the rug can be pulled from under you at anytime and you would be out of luck but I am finding out that is the case anywhere you go. In my community we have had 3 large factories close up shop this past year! People are out of luck! it does not matter if you work in a factory or in network marketing the result may be the same.

    Most people think it is a get rich quick scheme and for those distributors who are pushing this hype I completely disagree with. Monavie is not a get rich quick deal. It takes time. 90% of people will not make it in network marketing because they give up to quickly and just stop trying to work it. Again they want quick results and they are expecting too much in a short period of time. Just not how it works.

    Yes I agree the juice is expensive but I know it is healthy for me and I can earn some money doing the networking part. So why not take chance. Life is to short not to take some chances in life. You never know.

    There have been many millionaires made via network marketing. Is it easy? heck no. It is extremely tuff to do. But anyone can do it if they truly want it bad enough.

    Will I make it in Monavie? I believe that I will, but I also know the odds are against me and it’s my own fault if I quit.

    In the end I’ll have no one to blame but myself wether I succeed or not.

    In an illegal pyramid scam you can never make more than the person who enrolled you. This is not true in Monavie.

    It’s not a pyarmid but it is MLM. MLM is legal and a great way for the average person to make some good money. If they stick to it.

  50. Tracy Coenen 09/01/2008 at 9:42 am

    Saul – Unfortunately, you’re completely wrong. Success in MLM is not proportionate to the effort one puts into it. 99% of people involved in MLMs lose money. (See http://www.pyramidschemealert.org for more about this statistic.) Millions of people have put a lot of effort and work into MLM ventures, but have still lost money. Why? The MLM system is broken, and it does not offer an opportunity to make money for 99% of people.

  51. stephan 09/02/2008 at 10:26 pm

    I got a headache the first time I drank this stuff.

  52. Andy Griffin 09/06/2008 at 12:08 pm

    I just sat through a demonstration of this product. It actually sounded ok at first, until the “distributor” went into all his conspiracy theories about MD’s being “indoctrinated” (in other words, he’s smarter than his doctor) and tried explaining the inordinately complex compensation scheme.

    I’m sure there will be MonaVie defenders to “bash” me, but anyone who gets involved with this company is a chump. I have spoken.

  53. Vinny 09/08/2008 at 3:06 am

    Hey everyone go to wikipedia and do a search on monavie. Scroll down to the bottom and there will be a link to the new Income Disclosure Statement for 2008. 99% of all the distributors for 2008 will make less than $19000 for the year. SCAM SCAM SCAM.

  54. Rick S 09/13/2008 at 10:38 pm

    Is this Mona VIe approved by the FDA?

  55. Tracy Coenen 09/14/2008 at 6:37 am

    As long as they don’t make medical claims, they don’t need FDA approval. It’s just juice. So what they do is tell distributors that they’re not allowed to make medical claims like “it cures diabetes” but they ARE allowed to “tell their personal story” like “it cured my diabetes.” That way it’s not a medical claim, it’s just my personal story of what happened to me.

  56. terminatedramp 09/14/2008 at 7:29 am

    Tracy,

    You wrote “…but they ARE allowed to “tell their personal story” like “it cured my diabetes.” That way it’s not a medical claim, it’s just my personal story of what happened to me.”

    That is not entirely true, at least in the case of USANA. A customer is allowed to make any personal claim they want. However, if they are a distributor selling the product, they are not allowed to give a personal testimonial such as one that claims the product cured them.

    See the following Policy of USANA’s that restricts their distributors from making any kind of medical claim:

    https://www.usana.com/media/File/Training%20page/BDS%20files/policies%20and%20pro/US-CEN-Policies%20Procedures.pdf
    3.4.1 Product Claims
    USANA Associates may not make claims that USANA products have
    therapeutic or curative properties except those contained in official USANA
    literature. In particular, no Associates may make any claim that USANA
    products are useful in the cure, treatment, diagnosis, mitigation, or prevention
    of any diseases. Such statements can be perceived as medical or drug
    claims. Not only are such claims violative of the Associate Agreement, but
    they also violate the laws and regulations of the United States, Canada, and
    other jurisdictions.

  57. Tracy Coenen 09/14/2008 at 7:42 am

    I wasn’t clear – I’ve been told that the official literature prohibits medical claims, but the telling of the personal story is the wink and nudge to get around that.

  58. Sweeper 09/14/2008 at 2:01 pm

    It’s so funny to read blogs like this. People crack me up always talking about things don’t work or it’s a scam. I own a Jani King franchise and I have been in business for 13 years and have built a huge cleaning company.

    I had several people come to me and ask me about purchasing a franchise and I explain to them that it is going to require work, a lot of effort and time and that you will not make money for 2 to 3 years.

    These people, who all have an employee mentality, meaning that they work one month in their business and expect to make a profit right out the gate. None of the folks are in business because they think like employees, have short term thinking and no vision.

    And because no of them had any of these things, they all failed! So what’s the first thing they do, bad mouth a multi million dollar company and say stupid things like, Jani King doesn’t work, Jani King is a scam, Jani King is this.

    I recently became a Mona Vie business owner and after 3 months of getting out there and working MY business and not expecting to be rich after 3 days, I can say that Mona Vie is like any other business, if you but forth the effort and you have long term thinking, then it will work for you too! And if it doesn’t then look in the mirror for the answer why it didn’t!

  59. Sweeper 09/14/2008 at 2:05 pm

    Rick, Mona Vie is not a drug, it is a food so it doesn’t have to be approved by the FDA.

  60. Jay 09/16/2008 at 1:50 pm

    This Monavie craze is just completely insane. Why sell a product through an MLM? They say it’s all about the people right? It’s all about promoting a healthy lifestyle right? Well then why do they put something terrible like Sodium Benzoate in the product? For those that don’t know what Sodium Benzoate is it’s been linked to Parkinson’s disease and other Neurodegenerative diseases. But they really care about your health and not just making a quick buck off of you. Sodium Benzoate can also form benzene, a known carcinogen, when combined with guess what VITAMIN C. But I’m sure that I’m just being negative right?
    As for the company Dallin Larson had his last scam shut down by the FDA for making false health claims. He learned a few lessons from that and moved on to his current scam Monavie. ANYONE who involves themself in a MLM is suspect in my opinion. But to prey on sick people and provide them with false hope about the benefits they’ll see from a product that can actually have a serious detriment to your overall health is just sad and completely immoral. When a company like Coca Cola, which clearly isn’t all that concerned about health, removes Sodium Benzoate from their products it has to make you wonder why a “healthy lifestyle” company like Monavie continues to use it. My brain tells me it’s because they don’t care at all about your health. They just want to get their hand in your pocket and take as much money from you as possible.
    I urge anyone who knows someone involved in this nasty scam to try and get them to get out of it. The diehards are pretty brainwashed as you can tell by some of the comments in this thread but at least you’ll know you tried.

  61. Jesse 09/18/2008 at 12:19 am

    Wow lots of debate on a mlm group that is here today and gone tommrow, its a buisness model that makes the owner and a select few on top make a quick buck. The people that choose to get envoled and invest time & money into any kind of home buisness better do there home work first. The first thing I did was type “mona vie scam” into google.

    Then I used common sense and looked up all facts talked about in all the blogs. I am tryig the drink my self right now its on the ACIDIC side but I wonder what kinda of chemicals must be added to the bottels of mona vie to insure the juice does not go bad before it reaches the consumer.

    I am sure this juice has some health benifits but the preservatives that have been added to this juice has greatly reduced the health benifits to the consumer and for the price they ask I am glade I got this bottles for free.

    I have choosen not to try this buisness model reason one to much bad NEWS on the internet Reason two its about to bottom out the ones that got in the first year made some money but now there is to much bad news out there.

    JGO

  62. Frank Martin 09/23/2008 at 2:45 pm

    You peepul are all full of it. Monavie is the best oppertunity in America today. Acia juice cannot be found anywhere like it is in Monavie. It’s a bargain at any price (it even cures cancer). I’ve got my upline working like you wouldn’t beleev and I’m going to be a champion. Monavie gives back, too. The biggest pyramid scheme out there is Corperit America, not Monovie.

  63. Galen 09/23/2008 at 6:44 pm

    Frank… learn how to spell.

  64. Jay 09/24/2008 at 6:44 am

    Wow Frank, wow. Cures cancer huh? What Galen said. Read a book buddy and smarten up.

  65. George 09/24/2008 at 3:59 pm

    My brother has been selling MonaVie for over a year now. He called me to pitch a great “investment” opportunity, which turned out to be this MLM scheme. He encouraged me to research the company, which I did extensively. Foolishly, I thought he wanted my honest feedback. When I got back to him with my findings however, he cut me off and told me I was “harshing his vibe” (he’s been living in Calif way too long). He then went on to tell me he was warned by his sponsors that there were a lot of “negative thinkers” out there, and not to listen to them. Wow! Telling recruits to ignore any criticism of the company or product is one heck of a huge red flag that something’s amiss.
    Every now and then he’ll renew his pitch, typically after he’s attended another MonaVie “educational” seminar in Florida. The corny lines he tosses off after attending one of these revival meetings are almost comical. I’ve been in sales and marketing for over twenty years (including short-lived summer jobs promoting consumer products door-to-door), so I’ve heard them all before. They’re commonly used in sales training courses that advocate a hard sales approach – where it’s taught that the product doesn’t really matter, it’s all persistence.

    Reading thru these postings (and at other sites) I see the same phrases and logic my brother uses, repeated over and over again. Naysayers are dismissed as “lazy,” it’s all about the effort you put into it, why pour your sweat into making money for other people (guess sponsors and people above you in the pyramid don’t count), etc. I humored him once and looked at his confidential distributor website (another technique that I’m sure he learned at one of his seminars), but was still unable to get a handle on how much money he or anyone else in his downstream was making. When asked a direct question about his earnings to-date, his answer is always couched in terms of his future potential and the thousands of dollars someone else is earning every month (another learned response). After a lot of pushing, he recently allowed that he’s covering the bottles he and his wife are drinking (whoopee-de-do).

    Intelligence, unfortunately, does not guarantee inoculation against these types of MLM schemes. My brother’s a smart guy, ambitious, hardworking and very successful in his real career. He is hardly struggling financially; both he and his wife make multiple six-figure incomes. However, he’s always been a little bit gullible and has tried several different “entrepreneurial” opportunities in the hopes of being able to leave his stressful regular job. This gullibility, coupled with a large and active social network, makes him the perfect MonaVie candidate. Fortunately, unlike most people, he can afford the time and money he’s plowing into MonaVie without really harming his future security.

    I found the link (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/pyrdalrt.shtm) to the FTC’s Consumer Alert on Multilevel Marketing informative – especially the part about distributors being responsible for the claims they make. You should hear the health benefits my brother tells me that he and his “friends” (read: sponsors, and other MV distributors) have gained from drinking the juice … eliminated my toenail fungus, increased my virility, got rid of their diabetes, even cures cancer and the common cold! MonaVie is definitely mitigating their liability by avoiding these claims in their official literature, but encouraging their distributors to share these stories among themselves and their potential customers. For me, these claims only serve to further strain the credibility of the organization.

  66. George 09/24/2008 at 4:02 pm

    Part II (missed copying these paragraphs on my initial posting) …

    When I think of all of the MLM companies I know – Amway, MaryKay, ShoptoEarn, etc. – none of them are based on competitively (e.g., reasonably) priced products. I used to market chemicals to the personal care industry, so I know firsthand that the products sold by Amway and MaryKay are no different, in fact are usually lower grade, less expensive formulations than their competitors’ products that sell for far less. MonaVie fits that MLM criterion as well.
    Lastly, I’m willing to bet some people can make money, even a lot of money, selling MonaVie, but it’s not the sure-fire, just put in the effort and it’ll happen scenario being pitched. As has been pointed out often in the above postings, only a very small percentage of people will be successful. While that can be said of many business ventures, the MLM model is structured so that these successes are disproportionally small. Also, just because you can make money at something doesn’t mean it’s ethical; after all, you can make a lot of money selling illegal drugs, or overpriced hardware and cleaning supplies (like Mechanic’s Choice) that rewards crooked corporate purchasing agents with expensive prizes depending on how much of a markup they’ll approve. The latter example is legal, but it’s still unethical. If you’re one of the true MonaVie believers, like my brother, at least you’re not facing that unethical conundrum (you’re just naïve, not dishonest).

    Oh well, I’m posting this to hopefully help anyone that has recently signed up, or is thinking about selling this juice. My advice is to read everything you can find online with an objective eye, then reconsider your involvement. However, if you’re a true-believer, good luck, and yes, I know, I’m just a negative thinking, lazy corporate cog that resents the successful life you’re building for yourself.

  67. Frank Martin 09/24/2008 at 5:59 pm

    hahaha You peepul are so jellus its not funny. If you were smart like me youd be seling Monovie. I’m going to be a chambion and they’res nothing you can say or do about it.

  68. Galen 09/24/2008 at 6:51 pm

    Frank, us peepul are so jellus its not funny! You’re gonna be a chambion and they’res nothing we can say or do about it! You’re a spelling bee champ, Frank!

  69. Jay 09/25/2008 at 7:15 am

    Yes Frank we’re all very jealous of your scam. None of us have access to the Monavie income disclosure or are smart enough to read it and realize that over 90% of Monavie “distributors” would make more money mowing lawns. Not that there’s anything wrong with mowing lawns, at least that’s an honest line of work. But yeah I’m really jealous. I’m sure with your obviously superior mental aptitude that you’re one of the upper 5% that are actually making a decent living in this scam.

  70. Frank Martin 09/25/2008 at 2:55 pm

    Your ansers just prove why I’m better than you. Hear I am trying to educate yer silly tails, and you just be hatin. It shows a lot of ingnerints on yore part. Monovie not only cures cancer, but acording to acter Wilferd Brimly, it cures diabetus as well. So if you loosers want to mow lawns or clean toilets, you can start with mine.

  71. Galen 09/25/2008 at 6:31 pm

    I think this Frank fella is pulling our leg. No one can spell that badly. There’s Spell Check.

  72. Craig 09/25/2008 at 6:37 pm

    Frank has to be a troll. Poe’s Law comes into play whenever someone tries to satirize fundamentalists, and MonaVie salespeople are certainly fundamentalists.

  73. Jay 09/26/2008 at 7:41 am

    I agree and I’m fairly certain Darwin would have intervened by now if Frank was real. He can’t even spell Monavie.

  74. Karen 09/26/2008 at 8:30 am

    I was thinking about signing up as a MonaVie Distributor. I am very greatful for this website. You do help people in making their decisions.
    I had only heard good things about MonaVie and how easy it was to make money from it. They hand you magazines with all success stories in them. I decided to do some further research on line and hear some real stories about it. I was shocked! I am glad I did my homework.
    It is a good product but I will not be investing my hard earned dollars into making someone else rich. I do realize now that it is a MLM Scam.
    Thank you for helping me to make the right decision.

  75. Chad 09/29/2008 at 6:16 pm

    Man lots of skeptical people out there. Understandable, since there are many things out there to be skeptical about. Look I am an Emerald Executive in the company (you can look here to see what an Emerald Executive averages weekly and annually http://media.monavie.com/pdf/corporate/income_disclosure_statement.pdf). I have a unique story as far as how I got involved in with this product and company. I found this bottle of this acai berry juice while out getting lunch one day. Brought it back and loved the taste. I also did some research on the acai berry and loved the scientific studies that they were coming up with. I was drinking it daily after reading some of the articles. I have a history of cancer in my family and I had read that loading your body up with antioxidants was the way to go. Studies have shown that this little berry is loaded with antioxidants. About 7 months later I had a gentlemen give me a call. He told me there was a business behind this product. For 4 months I told him I wasn’t interested. Why? because I had no clue of what the income potential of this company was. I was thinking I had to sell bottles and cases and the potential earning was going to be $5 per bottle or something similar. When I finally went to look at the business (main reason was to finally tell him I saw it, thank you, now leave me alone), I was absolutely amazed at the business structure they created. If you build this up properly it will create a residual stream of income that will last you and your family forever. By residual stream of income I mean an income that will pay you while you are sleeping, eating dinner, watching a movie, etc., It is the opposite of active income which is working 9-5 and getting paid for the hours you put in and that is it. If you talk to any financial adviser out there they will tell you to go out and create residual income for yourself. If you have created a source of residual income then great for you, but if not then I have ne for you. To be honest I have never had more fun building my MV business. I have made some great friends that will last a lifetime. It is challenging and you will not make a tremendous amount of money overnight, but if you build it up the same way you build up a traditional business you will build something that is absolutely recession proof. What I mean by the same way you build a traditional business is let family, friends and other associates know that you are in business and give them an opportunity to see if it something that they would like to do themselves. I did this same thing when I started my mortgage business by handing out cards and calling everyone I knew to let them know what I was doing. Well the mortgage industry is not the same and I thank the person who introduced me to this business every day since it saved me from foreclosure and bankruptcy. I also thank myself every day for not listening to the negativity that comes from this forum. If I would of listened to these negative people I would not be where I am. If you are listening to these negative, uneducated (not college uneducated, but MonaVie uneducated) people then you are potentially letting a complete stranger steal your dream. Now you can do whatever you want, but I strongly suggest you take a look at something and create your own opinions rather than rely on other opinions. Please understand that scams are not studied and published in the US National Library of Medicine, but MonaVie is: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez

    Thanks for your time.

  76. Mike 10/02/2008 at 1:25 pm

    Does anyone have a membership ar Costco? hmm wonder if theres Executives
    and shareholders and CEO’s who make money at the top every time you buy something? Grocery stores? Walmart? ect…. but we think nothing of that!
    Karen! do you like the product does it does it sound like good nutrition? does it help anyone in you family? do you believe in it ? if u do then the glass is half full not empty. if you only listen to people who fail you will never succeed. it takes alot of work to be succesfull not many people are but knowone is stoping you from trying!

  77. Galen 10/02/2008 at 2:09 pm

    Go drink your dingle berry juice, Mike.

  78. Mike 10/02/2008 at 2:29 pm

    Some people are worth listening too and some are not!
    your choice!

  79. Wake up, DingleBerryMike 10/02/2008 at 2:31 pm

    Last time I checked, none of the staff or line managers at Costco have to pay money for the priviledge of showing up for work. In fact, if they show up on time and do their job, the company GIVES THEM money! What a SCAM! LOL

    Don’t listen to the haters Mike, what the mind believes can be achieved! If you really believe you can fly, you can leap from a tall building and fly. Don’t listen to the naysayers, they’ve never done it, SO HOW WOULD THEY EVEN KNOW?

  80. Galen 10/02/2008 at 2:49 pm

    Is Mona Vie worth listening to, Mike? You gonna be a millionaire, Mike? How stupid can you be?

  81. Mike 10/02/2008 at 5:08 pm

    going to to be a millionaire?? hmm ive already passed that landmark ive been self employeed for 30 years i know what it takes to get there i am 50 now. have learned through trial and eror. i got there by never blaming my failures on any anyone but myself. any one who thinks they can jump into MLM and make a living right off has another thing comming u start it off as a hobby work into it now as far as the expence hmmm i pay 167,000 a month to keep my one of my business’s running what does mona vie cost and if u use this product as a nutritional food doesnt sound like much of a expense!
    if your going to own a businees you going to have expenses and the amount of mona vie probalby would make any one who knows business laugh at how little it is! you sound like a good employee stay that way! all business”s need good employees

  82. Galen 10/02/2008 at 8:18 pm

    I seriously doubt you’ve learned through trail and error. You’re with Mona Vie. Oh, what is your other business, Mark? Avon?

  83. Mike 10/03/2008 at 1:34 am

    Wow some people have looser writen all over them! youi go ahead and have the last word! cuase i now know why people who succeed dont waiste there time blogging wont lower myself again.

  84. can't say 10/03/2008 at 11:12 am

    My wife is looking into this. We have bottles in our house for our own consumption. Took it for a while. Nothing.

    She is intelligent and has big time common sense. But I think she’s being taken on this one. I think the problem lies with a co worker. He is WICKED smart and is pushing this on co workers. Because he is so smart (not like my wifes husband)its easy to agree with his selling.

    I hope I’m as stupid as she thinks I am. She rarely chances ANYTHING. I hope she doesn’t get burned the first time she tries.

  85. Galen 10/03/2008 at 11:55 am

    Mark, it’s “loser” not “looser”. And believe me, you’ve already lowered yourself by falling for Mona Vie. You’re not smarter than a 3rd grader.

  86. mike 10/03/2008 at 12:44 pm

    Hey thanks for the correction on the misspelling! youl make some one a good secretary!

  87. Candace 10/03/2008 at 3:39 pm

    Hey Mr. “Emerald Executive”, AKA Chad, MonaVie appears to cause problems with cognitive thinking, impairs judgment, removes all sense of humor, inflates egos, and seems to cause comprehension and reading deficiencies. I will refer you to a previous post of mine made back in July of this year. Weird how I seem to know more about MonaVie’s policies and procedures than even an “Emerald Exectutive” does. Here ya go, Chad, read ’em and weep:

    For all of you MonaVie distributors **making even one comment about MonaVie** you do realize that you are in violation of the basic policies and procedures that MonaVie has required you all to abide by…right?

    Or did that somehow fly right by **all** of you?

    Here is the link, be sure to read sections 5.3, 5.4, and 5.12 YOU and YOU ALONE are liable for any and all comments you make about MonaVie the business or the effects of drinking MonaVie.

    http://sequence-inc.com/fraudfiles/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/Policies&Procedures_4-27-07.pdf

    That includes comments on websites, blogs, chatrooms, etc. This includes comments, testimonials, redirecting to your website, and just any comment about MonaVie at all period. **Read it again if you missed it the first time.**

    And if you were required to sign that agreement when you “got in”, just who do you think the FTC will be taking a look at?

    And yes, I do personally know people who have had their MonaVie Scams…oops, I mean businesses, taken away from them for violating these policies. What are you going to do when that happens?

  88. Candace 10/03/2008 at 3:51 pm

    By the way, Chad, just like all of the claims made by MonaVie and their distributors, that last link you posted goes nowhere.
    Got anything factual and real to show us that won’t get you kicked out of MonaVie?
    Somehow I doubt it.

  89. Galen 10/03/2008 at 6:03 pm

    Chad, you stated that your family is prone to cancer. Are you insinuating that MV can cure cancer? Tell me honestly how many friends and family members have steered clear from you since you’ve started selling this elixir?

  90. Charlie 10/03/2008 at 6:53 pm

    Mona Vie is known to fight inflammation. One cause of cancer is inflammation.Mona Vie doesn’t cure anything, what it does is give your body the proper nutrition to help your body do what it’s supposed to do. And that’s heal it’s self.

  91. Frank Martin 10/03/2008 at 7:26 pm

    I tole yall that Monovie cures cancer. Same ignerint peeple be hatin.

  92. Charlie 10/03/2008 at 9:59 pm

    Mona Vie doesn’t “cure” anything Frank. It gives the body proper nutrition which allows it to help “fix” it’s self. Big difference. Doctors recommend 7-10 servings of fruit everyday at this point, Mona Vie in 2 two ounce servings provides about 13. Also, it provides over 4,000 ORAC value which your body needs about 5000 a day to be at peak performance. This anti-inflammatory action is exactly why professional athletes like Joe Max Moore, Johnathan Pappalbon, and a score of others drink it on a daily basis. Because it does work. You may not “feel” it, you may not like the taste, but there is no denying the scientific facts that it is working in your body.

  93. Galen 10/03/2008 at 10:17 pm

    Us “ignerint peeple be hatin”!

  94. Andy Griffin 10/04/2008 at 5:35 pm

    Charlie,

    The benefits that Monavie claims to provide can be obtained much more cheaply. I wish I had known you, and all the other Monavie “distributors” when I was selling used cars. I’d be as rich as the top man on a pyramid scheme.

  95. Charlie 10/05/2008 at 12:02 am

    No Andy that is not true. Not organically. Please explain your comment with the science behind it. I’ll listen. Besides as posted here in other peoples posts, Mona Vie makes no claims. However, our new product has claims made by the FDA for it.

  96. Andy Griffin 10/05/2008 at 12:51 pm

    Charlie,

    You MonaVie “distributors” wouldn’t listen if God Himself told you that your product is an overpriced ripoff.

    The only real debate about MonaVie is whether its “distributors” suffer more from confirmation bias or just plain denial.

  97. Candace 10/05/2008 at 12:58 pm

    Ahh, Andy, you’re forgetting the fundamental principle of MLMs…
    They ARE listening to their god, Dallin Larsen.
    And he is listening to HIS god, the almighty dollar.

    Of course, they won’t see it that way right now. But after years of trying and finally realizing they’ve been scammed, they will sing the tune I’m playing for you right now.

  98. Tracy Coenen 10/05/2008 at 1:04 pm

    Andy – They suffer from both, something the sweet elixir takes care of….

  99. Charlie 10/05/2008 at 2:22 pm

    Play nice now. I asked for his facts, and got nothing. But I get the smack down from three people. Cool, I can deal with that. But still, where are the facts? I haven’t been scammed by anyone. I came into this business with eyes wide open. I have been involved with another MLM many years ago and swore I would never do another. I check things out very completely before I invest my time or my money. I’m sorry if some of you had some experience’s before. I’m just not having one of those. The deciding factor for me was the juice helped me. I wasn’t “conned” or scammed. The juice worked, and still does.

  100. Tracy Coenen 10/05/2008 at 2:44 pm

    Keep drinking the magic juice. Who cares if you could get the same benefits from something at the grocery store that costs $4. Who would want the same thing for a fraction of the cost?

  101. Galen 10/05/2008 at 3:29 pm

    I’m gonna unsubscribe. Good luck all. I really mean that.

  102. Charlie 10/05/2008 at 3:51 pm

    Tracy, name for me which products that I can buy at the store that are as good for me or better. I have looked, believe me. They all have added sugars, water added Chemicals and vitamins. Truth be known, at full retail value of $45 a bottle that would be 6.43 a day, I pay much less for mine about 22.50 a bottle so thats $3.22 a day. I still don’t see the scam here. I see other people opinions, but no real facts.

  103. Tracy Coenen 10/05/2008 at 3:55 pm

    It’s berry juice. Pick one. Drink it. Make sure it’s acai if you really must. There are tons of them available at a fraction of the cost. Monavie has no proven advantages.

  104. Charlie 10/05/2008 at 4:54 pm

    Seriously, I don’t care who you are, you can’t find all the berries and fruits used in Mona Vie at any store. Look, bash the MLM all you want. I really don’t care. But the product it’s self is the real deal. Too many people are getting positive results from drinking it. If you don’t like the business model of MLM that would be a fair opinion. Not everybody is cut out for that. But, the product has been scrutinized by the FDA and they have not found anything wrong with it. They say to make no claims. I don’t. It isn’t a drug, it doesn’t cure anything. But it does, scientifically, give your body what it needs to promote better health. Too many athletes are drinking it at this point for your proposal that you can get better stuff at the store. Wouldn’t they get the better stuff at the store if it was there? Yes. It has been passed by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Heres the proof….

    Athletic Banned Substances Screening Program Results
    Products Reviewed: MonaVie Active Juice, MonaVie (Original) Juice
    Overall Analytical Findings:*
    • MonaVie Active Juice: Pass ????
    • MonaVie (Original) Juice: Pass ????
    Categories of Banned Substances Tested:
    • Beta Blockers: None Detected
    • Diuretics: None Detected
    • Narcotics: None Detected
    • Anabolic Steroids: None Detected
    • Stimulants: None Detected
    • Masking Agents: None Detected
    Banned Substance
    Testing covers banned substances (parent drug and metabolites) representing the 2007 World
    Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, consisting of over 170 substances. The
    substances tested are from the following six categories and are those that can be tested in
    supplements (limited in comparison to what can be tested for in blood and urine).
    • Stimulants and related compounds
    • Narcotics and related substances
    • Anabolic agents and related substances
    • Diuretics and related substances
    • Masking agents and related substances
    • Beta blockers and related substances
    Testing Methods
    Screening involves one or more appropriate analytical methods, e.g., HPLC and GC, and
    includes spiking and recovery of certain compounds to ensure proper extraction.
    Confirmation of any detected banned substance is made by mass spectroscopy.
    Passing Score†
    To pass, a product must contain no confirmed banned substance at a “zero-tolerance level”—
    defined by the recovery rate of a substance, as well as its limits of detection in a given matrix.
    * Product tests performed by ConsumerLab.com, LLC, an independent laboratory not associated with MonaVie.
    † Passing scores allow for specific margins of technical error associated with each analysis. ConsumerLab.com reserves
    the right to disqualify a product at any time from passing its testing if it considers such product to present a safety risk
    or to provide misleading or inaccurate information in its labeling.

  105. Tracy Coenen 10/05/2008 at 6:32 pm

    I never said there was anything wrong with the juice. Just that you don’t have to spend that much on juice to get the vitamins and benefits. I don’t argue that it’s good for you. It’s just that there are juices that are equally as good for you and are found in the grocery store for a fraction of the price. (And I promise they don’t have any steroids in them!)

  106. Charlie 10/05/2008 at 6:53 pm

    Tracy, that’s where we have to have our difference then. You cannot get a juice at the store that is as high in antioxidant value with as many different fruits in it for the variety your body needs. No one makes one, and for the 4 bucks a day it costs, there is no better value. 10-13 organic fruits a day would cost you way more and you probably couldn’t eat that many anyway. As for the business plan, just as in ANY business you have to work hard and there are no guarantees. For crying out loud it costs 39 bucks for start up, not several hundred thousand as in most conventional traditional business’s. There’s no guarantee you’ll succeed at those either.Trust me, I pay attention. You know that I do.

  107. Tracy Coenen 10/05/2008 at 6:56 pm

    You can get plenty of antioxidants from juice in the store.

  108. Charlie 10/05/2008 at 7:34 pm

    sigh…..we could all use a little brain cleaning now and again….Lets pretend that I’m from Missouri and “Show me.” Look, 4 ounces of Mona Vie gives you about (over) 4,000 ORAC value a day. Show me a juice at the store that for 4 or 5 bucks a day will do the same. I know that I’ll never sway you from your beliefs on MLM, but the juice is the real deal. If not, why are there so many who just consume it and dont sell it? A body is recommended to receive 5,000 Orac value a day. With proper diet along with the juice, a much healthier lifestyle is created. I can see that you are an educated person, highly qualified in your field, and I respect you highly for that. But it appears that in the case of the science behind this juice you haven’t really done your due diligence. The science is there, if you would like I could post it here for you or send you links. I love debate, but no one on here brings the facts to the table. I will.

  109. Tracy Coenen 10/05/2008 at 7:49 pm

    Go eat a few prunes and you’ll get the same ORAC value or more. Better yet, have a salad for lunch with a variety of vegetables, and you’ll get the same ORAC value or more.

    They are selling you magic potion that you don’t need. But nothing I can say will convince you how silly this is. Drink a little juice, have a little salad, pop a multi-vitamin from Target, and you’ll have what you need.

  110. Charlie 10/05/2008 at 8:30 pm

    very good! The ORAC value per gram of prunes is high, about 577. And eating the variety of foods is the proper nutritional way. But I don’t know, you see, I do eat stuff such as that but it doesn’t seem to work as well as my magic elixir. The juice would be full od sugar and added water so that’s not all that great for you, the lettuce we would get here in so.cal would be full of crap from over fertilizing and bug sprays. I guess I could go to the organic store and pick some up for a buck or two more. But now that I think of it, it’s gonna cost me more to do it your way than to do it my way. And, it’s just a shot glass and I’m on my way. Hmmmmm, just to easy I guess. People do need this, you may not. You may take the time and the effort to create a lifestyle dinner or lunch or breakfast, but most don’t and never will. That’s where we come in, fast and easy and it tastes good. 4.50 a day and you can go kill your self at McDonalds and still have your daily nutrition from ORGANIC foods. Not supplements filled with chemicals. Go ahead if you want, but not me, I see the benefit.

  111. Charlie 10/05/2008 at 8:58 pm

    you know, I was following some of the links posted here and some of your “highly respected” posters have been found to have been people other than who they say they are. In fact, they themselves have been touted as being scammers.

    This post by: Joyce Lewis Says:
    12 Aug 08 at 11:47 pm

    with this link: http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=44032&highlight=monavie

    actually has someone who knows this person and names them and their scam if you read the entire blog post you’ll see. I love the internet, you can be who ever you want!

  112. Tracy Coenen 10/05/2008 at 10:16 pm

    Sorry, Charlie. You still don’t get it. All you have to do is eat a well-balanced diet that has a fair amount of nutrition in it and take a multivitamin and you’re good. No, a decent diet doesn’t have to cost a lot. You need to eat, right? Even if you take the magic juice? So just put forth a small amount of effort when you’re eating and take a vitamin and you’re good to go. No overpriced magic potion necessary.

  113. […] my original write-up on Mona Vie. The company is a typical MLM… Get people to recruit under the guise of selling a miracle […]

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