This is the ultimate list.
Here are the best network marketing opportunities of 2017 based off of trends, speculation and your ability to thrive.
Here we go:
#50. Empower Network
(June 2017 update: Dave Wood has temporarily stepped down after checking into drug rehab). Will we ever stop hearing about Empower Network? This is one of those rare MLMs that lit up and didn’t crash and burn a year later. Still, they are on a painful, slow decline now and its doubtful they will make this list in coming years.
#49. Bode Pro
This is a new venture that hits this list because we know the masses from another MLM will follow over to Bode Pro. You see, this is BK Boreyko’s company, the same guy who just got handled by the FTC at Vemma. Woudn’t doubt him to make another splash.
#48. Forever Green
(May 2017 update: did this go under?) The sign up cost will make you do a triple take (almost four figures), but you get to set your own retail price on every product you sell. If you’ve got the skills to make people cough up the cash for their products (which, btw, are pretty legit), you could definitely make that money back. They’ve also been winning plenty of awards (even a growth award from the Direct Selling Association themselves).
#47. Beachbody
P90x and Insanity workouts were the craze. They’ve fallen off a bit, but Beachbody is still a household name. They’re so product-centric, few people know they’re actually a network marketing company. Probably a good thing for company longevity, but they’re definitely not one of the “hot offers” to promote.
#46. ACN
Anyone involved in network marketing in the early 2000’s know ACN was “the ish”. Fast-forward to today, the telecommunications venture has seen steady declines the last 5 years, but $800+ million in annual revenue still isn’t bad. Still, they’re easily a “has been” and have failed to re-invent themselves.
#45. Youngevity
One of the trending anti-aging schemes, Youngevity touts “selenium” as the mineral to help several immune system and thyroid functions. The company has seen steady growth (revenue up to $156 million annually, up 16%), but they’ve failed to corner the market. Too many other hot players (see: Nerium, Jeunesse)
#44. It Works!
Body shapers and nutritional products. And a “greens line” as well. It Works! caught some flame in 2015 but have since fallen off a bit. Distributors have to sell $112 per month to get those commissions, so it was harder for most to keep up. “Yo, Grandma, you like these body shapers? Imma use your credit card cool?” Imagine? Lol.
#43. NHT Global
They were hot. These guys caught some shade for over-inflating their health products, but what health MLM doesn’t inflate their prices “a tiny bit” so they can dish out those juicy commissions? Well, their fiber product was 900% more than “leading alternatives” and their Trioten protein blend was 600% more expensive than Herbalife and Shaklee proteins. Ouch.
#42. PartyLite
The old-school version of “Scentsy” is not as nearly hot or trendy, but they’re staying relevant. The whole game to this “opportunity” is to host parties and then get ’em to pull out their credit cards and buy some candles. Luckily, there’s way better ways to make side money these days.
#41. USANA
These guys shouldn’t be on this list. In fact, they shouldn’t even be in business after the smackdown that was handed to them by the SEC and FBI in 2007. Yet they managed to make a massive comeback. The proof is in the income disclosure statement – $76k per year for full-time, well-established associates.
#40. Melaleuca
When you hit over a billy in annual sales, that’s reason enough to be on the shortlist. On top of that, they’ve been in the MLM game for over two decades, and they’re now the “largest online wellness shopping club” (basically just sounds like a fancy way of saying they sell a lot of miracle diet pills).
#39. Seacret
The Isreali immigrant brothers turned entrepreneurs behind Seacret Direct managed to take a cliche mall kiosk (you know, the ones that bother the crap out of you while you’re trying to shop) and turn it into a multi-million dollar global direct selling ccompany. Skincare products are pretty yawn-worthy nowadays, but Seacret’s dead sea products come with a 5,000 year history and a lot of fanfare.
#38. Jamberry Nails
MLM has stretched its sticky fingers out into just about every product market out there, so it’s kinda hard to do something new nowadays. But Jamberry Nails did it. Their adhesive, custom nail designs BLEW UP when they hit the direct sales floor. They built up an army of over 100,000 consultants in the time it takes most people to get a mediocre pay raise at their 9-5.
#37. World Ventures
Breaking into the world of travel bloggers, hotel hoppers, and digital nomads with #wanderlust was one of the best ideas MLM ever had. Everyone out there wants to work remotely nowadays, and a huge portion of those people want to do it so that they can travel. So, a remote income opportunity with a travel MLM just makes sense. WorldVentures is hitting this niche hard, having been named one of the Inc. 5000’s fastest growing companies twice in a row.
#36. Natures Sunshine
One of the rare true pioneers in MLM. Herbal supplement capsules are EVERYWHERE now, but the husband and wife duo behind Natures Sunshine were the first to do it…ever. A visit to your local health store (or your astrology-loving yoga friend’s medicine cabinet) will show you just how popular their invention has become.
#35. Kyani
Another nutritional MLM selling another magical superfruit with a marked up price tag. So what? Their story might not be interesting, but their bottom line is: they’ve expanded to 44 countries and counting after just over a decade in operation. On top of that, they provide extensive sales training and good commission rates to their reps, which is pretty rare nowadays.
#34. Rain
Rain is another nutritional MLM outta Utah (yawn, right?) but these guys do have an angle: seed nutrition and the “black cumin seed”, which is apparently more potent for fighting cancer cells and promotes good anti-oxidant health benefits and stuff.
For whatever reason, the black cumin seed has trended well in recent years:
#33. Market America
Market America is just as known for their massive discounted products portal as they are for their crazy rich CEOs. I’m talking Forbes list, mansion in Biscayne Bay and penthouse in Manhattan, celeb bffs, and giant yachts rich…all thanks to MLM. They’ve hit their fair share of SEC-shaped road blocks, but Market America is still going strong at #29 on the DSN Global 100.
#32. Ambit
They’re a long ways from becoming “the finest and most-respected retail energy provider in America,” especially after getting smacked with a class action lawsuit a few years ago. But what’s a lawsuit when you’ve got a global revenue of $1.5 billion?
#31. Wealthy Affiliate
An MLM without the Facebook stalking, 3-way calls, and autoship? Welcome to the future, network marketing, it’s about time. Wealthy Affiliate is an affiliate opportunity for people who want some solid digital marketing training, and they’ve even got a free trial option.
#30. Pampered Chef
Here we’ve got a throwback to network marketing’s roots (Remember Tupperware parties? No? There’s a reason for that). Kitchen products, cooking demos, and mommy bloggers galore. Stay-at-home-moms looking for some flexibility are still a HUGE target demographic for MLM, so it’s no surprise that Pampered Chef has done so well that Warren Buffett decided he needed a piece of the action.
#29. 4Life
These guys trended for a long time and then flattened out a bit, but they’re still pretty huge. They push their immunity-boosting nutritional products in over 50 countries to date, and they’ve actually got some pretty fantastic reviews from both former and current associates. Commission isn’t great, but at least the reps are happy?
#28. Plexus
Fad diets are the neverending story of the 2000s, and Plexus is one of them. Like most miracle weight loss pills, they’ve had run-ins with the FDA, and they don’t fare well with the BBB either. But they’ve managed to trend upwards for 5 years straight regardless, and reps can earn a whopping 50% commission.
#27. Arbonne
Arbonne is a massive MLM in the shadow of two even bigger cosmetics giants (Avon and Mary Kay). However, with their focus on cruelty-free products and au natural ingredients, it’s looking like they could catch up at any minute. Expect to see them in the billion dollar annual revenue club ASAP.
#26. My Lead System Pro
Rob Fore is one of the bigger SEO network marketers in the game, and he still pushes MLSP as his #1 venture. That should say a lot. They’re still hanging around, although not as hot other digital MLM darlings (see: Tecademics, Digital Altitude, Empower Network, Wealthy Affiliate).
#25. Tecademics
Now we’re getting into the real heavyweights. Tecademics is one of the most extensive digital marketing training programs out there, within and outside of MLM. Founder Chris Record started Tecademics after completely crushing it at Empower Network. Their training comes at a steep price tag, although it’s nothing compared to the price of a university degree.
#24. Omnilife
Before launching Omnilife and becoming a billionaire, Jorge Vergara sold street tacos in Mexico, smuggled Herbalife supplements into Mexico, and sweet talked the Mexican government into changing their regulations in the nutritional products sector. This guy could make a movie about his life and it would probably win an Academy Award (he’s actually a major film producer on the side, casual).
#23. Team National
These guys have been pushing their coupon books for decades. It sounds outdated, but they just hit over half a billion in sales, so clearly someone’s buyin’. Founder Dick Loehr is kind of an entrepreneurial genius.
#22. Le-vel
Almost at their 5 year mark, this health and wellness MLM has blown up. They even won the Bravo Growth Award from Direct Selling News Global a couple years back. When you’re young and new, there’s no where else to go but up…until you eventually come crashing down into a million little pieces (and by pieces I mean lost, jobless MLMers).
#21. Lifevantage
Here we’ve got yet another pseudo-science MLM from Utah. But hey, don’t fix it if it ain’t broke? These guys are doing an annual revenue of $214 million, and their distributors are getting access to 6 different pay bonuses.
#20. Purium
Naturopathy is this MLM’s M.O., and all the #cleaneating, medicinal herb drinking, free spirits are loving it. Supposedly, they’ve got “The FASTEST, healthiest, simplest weight loss program on the planet.” Purium isn’t all talk, either – they’ve actually got a line of certified organic products.
#19. Mary Kay
It’s no secret that the ladies in pink from Mary Kay are the Queens of the MLM-World. Just a few spots down from major rival Avon, Mary Kay is ranked as the #5 MLM in the entire world, doing $3.5 billion in annual revenue.
#18. World Global Network
If WGN is looking for world domination, they may be onto something. This company sells every futuristic gadget you can imagine, from space phones to wearable tech to virtual reality. After only a few years in operation, they’re already rising to the top 100 MLMs in the world.
#17. Isagenix
While Isagenix hasn’t quite made it to the big leagues with Advocare, they’re definitely on deck. They’ve churned out a number of millionaires, they have a product with great reviews, and the hype around this brand is insane.
#16. Amway
They’ve been the #1 MLM in the world for years. Their annual revenue can’t be touched by anyone ($8.8 billion). Amway is so huge that their brand is literally synonymous with network marketing – which can be good and bad.
#15. Avon
Avon is the famous old lady brand, but don’t underestimate your grandma. They’re the only MLM that’s even come close to Amway (they’re #2 in the world, and they’ve got $5.7 billion in annual revenue). Of course, nothing lasts forever – their sales have been tanking for 5 years, and they just had to sell off their North American branch.
#14. Nu Skin
From former presidential candidates to the New York Times, these guys have managed to get a lot of high profile endorsements. No Suzanne Somers and Chuck Norris wash ups over here. One slot away from being a top 10 MLM, they’re worth a whopping $3 billion, and the growth rate on their stock will make your jaw drop.
#13. Nerium
Within one year of operation, this anti-aging MLM was already ranked #86 out of 100 by Direct Selling News. They did over $100 million in revenue…in their first year. What have you done in a year?
#12. Modere
This eco-friendly MLM is seriously committed: their headquarters are operated with wind power. They’re pretty future-facing in general, having implemented an innovative social marketing strategy amongst their reps. No one likes to be harassed on Facebook, but Modere’s social media plan is still 10 times more effective than holding home parties (kill me).
#11. Younique
This semi-new cosmetics MLM really lives up to its name. With a genius marketing strategy that leverages social media in a way that’s only moderately annoying and uses real customers as their models, Younique has become one of the most buzz-worthy MLMs of the 21st century.
#10. Motorclub of America
MCA Motorclub might offer services a bunch of other companies already offer for a lot less (AAA), but they’ve actually packaged them with unique services that are super useful. Their CEO has structured their referral plan so perfectly that people keep coming back. Plus, they’ve been around since 1926 – long enough to be an American tradition.
#9. Primerica
For some reason financial services MLMs don’t usually do very well (something about the irony of spending a bunch of money to save money). But Primerica has it figured out after over three decades in business. Their revenue in 2013 was a massive $1.27 billion, so they at least know how to make money for themselves.
#8. Advocare
This is one of those MLMs that’s been around forever (or at least since 1993) and isn’t going anywhere. They’ve really built up a well-regarded brand name and a solid, stable foundation for themselves. It doesn’t hurt that they’re pushing half a billion in annual revenue, either.
#7. Digital Altitude
If you want to learn about the wonderful (and massive) world of internet marketing from the pros, Digital Altitude is where it’s at. Their products might cost up to $10k+, but you’re getting access to a toolbox of pure gold. Then there’s their commission rate…up to 60%. Just take a second to think about what a 60% commission rate on a $10k+ product looks like. Not bad, huh?
#6. Rodan and Fields
One of the best skincare products in and outside of MLM, no doubt. They were founded by a couple dermatologists, and they used to be an upscale department store brand before entering the world of network marketing. Rodan and Fields created Proactiv, which ended up being one of the most famous skincare products of all time (and a hero-in-a-bottle for every middle schooler who’s ever been called pizza-face). Just this one product line is nearing $1 billion in annual sales.
#5. Jeunesse
Who wants to get fit, look younger, and lose weight? Jeunesse, meet your global target market: everyone. With their crazy sales numbers, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are selling to just about everyone in the world. Jeunesse routinely make the list for the top 20 MLMs in the world, and they’re doing about $1.4 billion in annual revenue. Not only are you selling a very well-trusted product, but the sign up cost is also one of the lowest out there ($30).
#4. Young Living
Essential oils are hot, and Young Living is a big part that. They were the first, too. These guys would be on my short list for companies to push based off of industry trends.
Fun fact: Gary Young has built an empire much different than his 1980s blood testing lab in Tijuana that was clowned by the LA Times. Okay, that was decades ago, but still thought that was funny. Sometimes you just can’t take the “hustle” outta people, and I mean that in a slightly good way.
#3. Herbalife
Herbalife could be the most famous network marketing company, but not for the right reasons. They’ve been boxing the FTC for years, but they’ve agreed to pay back $200 milly to former distributors and vowed to restructure the company.
So, it remains to be seen what a less pyrmaid-esque version of Herbalife yields, but I’m gonna bet better than 99% of MLMs based off brand awareness.
Most people know that Herbalife is a company that sells nutritional stuff (their presence in latin countries is bonkers!), and thats enough to make them play with the big-leagues (unlike most MLMs that fade into obscurity or tackle a micro-niche).
#2. doTERRA
Ah, yes, the “other” essential oils empire. doTERRA is a little younger than Young Living, but they have the momentum in a niche thats arguably the hottest in direct selling.
They have the stay-at-home-mother meets women entrepreneur mixture working for them. What does that even mean? Means they have the practicality side of the company that is off the product and they have the sales, entrepreneur people them promoting it, too. Anyone who follows MLM knows its usually too “product practical” (see: Tupperware, Cutco) or too “opportunity-centric” (see: Herbalife).
doTERRA has a fine balance.
#1. Scentsy
So refreshing to see a direct-selling venture pushing a unique product that people are crazy about without the “income opportunity”.
That doesn’t mean people aren’t making bank on flameless candles.
Just means they’re a product-first company which screams longevity in the network marketing space. They have a product that works, their PR game is strong, and they’re alone in their category.
Translation: exponential growth on the horizon.
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Final word
So, does MLM work?
The short answer: it hasn’t for most.
The intentions are good, but most people do not make money and there’s a good chance that a company won’t be around in 5 years.
If you like the products, great. Buy them. Some of the companies above make great products (and I use some of them).
But if you’re doing it for the money, there’s much better ways to make money online.
via http://mlmcompanies.org/best/
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