For the fifth year in a row, YTB Travel Network makes Travel Weekly’s Power List of the top 50 Travel Agencies. Some will be a bit surprised. Others will be pleased. While I’m sure there will be others who will be (as they always are) frustrated with another year of YTB being included in Travel Weekly’s listing.

Personally, I consider this year’s listing as one of the finest showings from previous years for several reasons. This year’s listing dispels the skewed and misleading math formulas we’ve seen in years past from socialist pin heads. It also puts to rest any notion that the word “Travel” in YTB Travel Network is an afterthought.

Let’s not forget as well, all the mud that was thrown up in the companies face three years ago that has now been cleaned off, putting any claims of pyramid or ponzi schemes behind the company.

I’m quite certain that some had dreams and others feared that California’s Attorney General could actually put an end to the company. If California couldn’t get it done, surely Illinois or the opportunist ambulance chasers would. Yet, here I am three years later with the same capabilities in selling travel, and a better commission split to boot.

Clearly, YTB Travel Network has had its share of the spotlight. Some good – some bad – and some just completely bogus accusations. (Some have turned out to be rather comical.) Through it all however, YTB Travel Network has survived because of a very solid foundation laid by the Founders of the company and a few thousand loyal “Travel Agents” who appreciated a different approach in selling travel.

So, here we are – the numbers from the Travel Weekly Power List:

At number 34 – YTB Travel Network

2010 Sales: $221.7 million
Employees: 120
Previous Rank: 29

What is so impressive about this spot is the company has accomplished this number with a small fraction of people compared to years past. At the companies height (before the mudslinging and bogus lawsuits) YTB Travel reported 92,383 travel sellers who sold $424.1 million in travel. What “socialist pin heads” did was divide total sales by the total number of travel sellers. This year, the company reported 12,200 travel sellers who sold $221.7 million in travel.

So why the big jump in “average sales”?

Clearly, these “averages” we’ve seen (or are forced upon Network Marketing companies from our fine Government as “Income Disclosures”) aren’t what they’re cracked up be. You can’t possibly dictate to anyone what someone is capable of selling based on average numbers. Some will excel, while others won’t do a blessed thing to get their business off the ground. Travel sellers who weren’t making any money (because they couldn’t change their thinking or work ethic from “employee” to “business owner”) are now gone. Those who could grasp the thinking and habits of “business” were making money as travel sellers and are still around and producing numbers more consistent with traditional travel agents. It’s always been like this – but it wasn’t until now that we see how the real world actually works – not some mathematical theory.

We’ve heard over and over again that our focus isn’t travel. Again, you can’t dictate as an overall consensus (just like the bogus “averages” above) that’s true for everyone. I got into YTB Travel Network so I could get paid for telling people that a cruise was the best vacation money could buy. I’m still just as passionate about the industry as I was the day I signed up. Sure the other products offered via the ZamZuu shopping cart are nice. In fact, I was selling similar items here on this blog long before ZamZuu ever came about. Ever since I changed hats from employee to business owner, you become educated about what multiple streams of income can do for your bottom line.

While it’s a nice bonus, my focus – and what fires me up is still travel.

Well, that and the Pittsburgh Steelers. But just because I moved from Pittsburgh to Atlanta 19 years ago, I’m still just as much of a diehard fan than I ever was. (Okay – fanatical, but you get the idea.) You know damn well, you’re never gonna take the Steelers out of this boy. You’ll also never take the passion I have for travel out of me either.

While others in our industry would like our focus to be something else – it’s honestly not up to them to tell me, you, or anyone else what we should or should not focus on. Travel got us to where we are – and travel will continue to carry this company in the future. It’s a fantastic product that everyone still enjoys talking about and still the number one answer to a question I’ve asked for years.

“If you had more time and more money – what would YOU do?“

What makes this year’s list especially gratifying is that all the crap from California, Illinois, and a handful of ambulance chasers is now behind the company. All laid claim about being a pyramid scheme. Thing is, pyramid schemes are illegal and scams like that are ultimately shut down. Sure, there will be those who will continue to throw that out there – and that’s perfectly fine. Looks worse on them at this point than it ever will YTB, because it illustrates they haven’t learned a blessed thing. (And most likely, never will.)

I really could care less – because all I have to do is pull up my booking engine and look at another listing on this year’s Power List.

Nuff said.

YTB Travel Network will move on as it always has. Like I said before – travel got us here, and travel will continue to be a major asset for YTB International. If the company can do this with all the obstacles thrown up to distract everyone – imagine what it can do now with this core group of travel sellers.

Nothing like a little dose of reality to get things cranked back up again now is there? The way I see it, there’s nothing stopping this company from climbing back up this list to even higher levels once reached in years past. Difference is, there were lessons learned from the first go around that will make it all that much easier to accomplish if everyone pitches in.

Based on what this year’s list has shown us, the company is leaner, meaner, and battle tested for another great run.

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UPDATE: It’s a miracle!! The witch is not dead. Actually – I think the proper word right now would be “irritated”. (By yours truly.) Within two hours of posting this – our boy John pulled up a month and a half old rant he never bothered to publish to save face. (Hell, even my wife warned me that what would happen.)

Not too upset. He’s supplied some of the best content and some really great laughs over the years. Based on his history, and the outdated rant, I see no evidence that will change.

~~~

Honestly, I never thought this day would come. I’ve run into my share of zealots and cynics over the years, but have never seen the likes of anyone so obsessed and disturbed as the “Coach” of the Anti-MLM Travel crowd. By default, anyone in YTB would know that person to be John W. Frenaye. One of the most arrogant, confused, and condescending dolts I’ve ever witnessed during my tenure with YTB.

I first caught a glimpse of John’s irritation with YTB back in 2007 with an article he wrote using MSNBC as his platform. It was his last article for MSNBC. You can only imagine how unamused the editors of MSNBC were with anyone “double dog daring” folks like John did for that soap box article. His last rant on MSNBC however was only the beginning of the type of outlandish and eccentric stunts pulled over the next 3 to 4 years of a one man battle to rid the industry of Travel MLM’s.

A few short months later John showed up as a commenter on our blog in an apparent attempt to educate me on his “issues” with Travel MLM’s. I still remember the coy attitude and the intimidation tactic – as if he had it all figured out. It was to become a trademark of the almighty Frenaye. At the time however, I did see John as both a challenge and an opportunity to correct not just misconceptions and misrepresentations the industry had about MLM – but bold face lies about our people our Founders, and our company.

I’ll always give anyone the benefit of the doubt. Call it an asset or a fault, but I did befriend John because I did agree with a few minor points and issues that needed to be cleaned up in our industry. One of those issues being a love of travel and service to others. Perks in our industry known as FAM’s are a privilege and a tool to sell more travel to paying customers – not a right simply because you call yourself a “Travel Agent”. MLM is a business, not some discount program or get rich quick scheme.

And that’s how our discussions began.

When it was my turn to clear the air that nobody actually paid for the opportunity to recruit others, or that gross travel sales were actually 4 to 5 times the amount of travel website sales – that’s where we ran into problems. See, John, like so many other zealots who think they’re the bees knees find it difficult to communicate, learn, and educate themselves to find a resolution. I suppose the reason for this is that if they actually did – there wouldn’t even be an issue. Zealots need controversy in order to maintain their charade.

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the movie Network. It’s a 1976 film that takes a cynical look at TV networks exploits that stars a very deranged ex-TV anchor. The film has one very famous quote that I’m sure you’ve heard of: “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.“

That’s John Frenaye in a nutshell. What John saw in YTB at the time, was the biggest – baddest Travel MLM out there. Remember, nobody was able to do what YTB did – they all folded before YTB Travel came along. Sure, other Travel MLM’s were a nuisance and frustrating – but since they were so short lived – they weren’t any real threat.

YTB was a different animal all together – it had legitimacy attached to it. Carnival Pinnacle Awards and listings smack dab in the middle of Travel Weekly’s Power List aren’t something Travel MLM’s are even capable of doing in the eyes of an anti-MLM zealot. And because YTB was morphing into a host agency powerhouse, the only thing John could do was go on a rampage for the next couple of years, finding (or fabricating) any issue he could dream up to shame YTB into submission.

I can’t complain too much because he gave me some fabulous content to show how you should never just walk – but run from zealots like John if you want anything close to sanity or the truth.

Some of my favorites include:

• An amended Class Action suit John dubbed was “powerful” yet was thrown out of court just days later for being “redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter”. (Boy – does that shoe fit huh?!)
• The claims that Candi May couldn’t possibly be a legitimate Travel Agent, or had been courted by Carlson Wagonlit only to find YTB as a better alternative.
• When CLIA slapped John with his hands in the cookie jar over claims that CLIA was playing favorites with YTB and not abiding by the rules set for all agencies.
• The church parsonage which Coach Tomer and Chris donated to a church – which John conveniently spinned into a “lease”. (The idiot even provided the court documents himself to show it was a legitimate donation.)
• The perfect “Gotcha” turned sour. An outdated 32 year old law in Rhode Island which John dug up that required all Agents to be bonded. That is, until John brought attention to it – and instead of enforcing it, Rhode Island repealed the outdated law.
• And of course we can’t forget John’s hopes and the dreams that were dashed in both California and Illinois shutting YTB down and ending our existence all together.

I’ve lost count how many times we were warned that Coach, Scott, and Kim would ride off into the sunset. The warnings of bankruptcy. How the stock was being manipulated. And the ultimate dream – how YTB would get out of the travel industry all together.

Aside from being proven wrong and outed for outlandish and false claims so many times over the years – probably the straw that broke this dolts back was the revelation that John really wasn’t the saint he claimed to be was made public.

Look – nobody’s perfect and we all make mistakes. Lord knows I’ve made my share in my lifetime and so has YTB. The key difference between someone like me and a company like YTB is that we can at least acknowledge we’re not perfect and either make amends and/or correct the mistake.

And it’s that type of acceptance and humility that enables me to keep writing here and YTB to keep selling travel during events like we had last night with Sandals.

John, on the other hand has apparently moved on. While his charade and escapades will be documented on the Internet forever, like the comments section that he was once so proud of haven’t been updated in almost a month. Best I can tell, he’s found another hobby with yet another startup and another site called Eye On Annapolis. It has nothing to do with travel or MLM’s thank goodness. It’s more like a city beat type thing and frankly – I’m pulling for him that it works.

I honestly don’t know if John will ever come to terms with the MLM model. A good portion of these types of Zealots never do because emotion often overrides logic and common sense. In that same vein however – logic never changes like emotions do and that’s why MLM and Direct Sales has survived for more than a Century.

Letting go of a three or four year obsession however is a step in the right direction. The daily rants and spinning have finally come to an end for both John and YTB. The end of another chapter in our journey together in an industry I still love and respect – both MLM and travel.

John’s relevance in the travel industry started to erode with his “double dog dare” in 2007. It’s been a very slow and arduous process over the years. I’m not going to speculate his escapades are completely dead like the Wicked Witch of the West (although it’s a fun title) but the further we get away from this type of behavior the better off the travel industry as a whole will be.

It’s a bad mix nobody really needs.

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If you’re a regular reader of this site – you should know my views about the Better Business Bureau. Truth is, regular reader or not, the articles I wrote last year are widely read with links from BBB Roundup and Google searches from individuals questioning the validity of the BBB.

Once upon a time, the Better Business Bureau was a well-respected and viable source to gauge a company’s performance. However in recent years, the Bureau has come under tremendous fire with high pressure “pay to play” shenanigans mistakenly reserved for Network Marketing companies.

Their problems all started when the BBB changed their system in January of 2009 from a simple “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” rating system to an A to F “grading” system. Since the switch, the BBB has been exposed as playing favorites to those who pay for better grades or downgrade companies who complain to the BBB about their existing grade – which misleads the public. I’ve seen several posts on Facebook over the last 9 months about an ABC news piece that exposed their horrid tactics. When the BBB gives an A- to an organization like Hamas (the Middle East terror group) and an A+ to a skin head white racist group called Stormfront who bought their grades simply by paying the BBB for accreditation – it raises some serious heat. Anyone who saw the piece knew that the BBB themselves were on the take.

After the airing of this news piece last year, Connecticut attorney general Richard Blumenthal sent an official demand letter to the national headquarters of the Better Business Bureau to stop using the grading system, stating the grading system was “harmful and misleading” to consumers.

Imagine that?

Since writing the articles last year, I’ve yet to see a single thread of evidence that the BBB has changed their tune. As far as I’m concerned they’re still just as shady as the day is long.

To my surprise last night, a memo came from the YTB home office about the companies poor rating the last few years being upgraded to a C+ rating. I have to admit – the first thing that crossed my mind when I read the memo was that the company had succumbed to the BBB’s pressure tactics and paid for accreditation. I’m happy to report however, that the home office DID NOT pay for this upgrade. (YTB is still listed as a Non-Accredited Company.)

So what’s with the change in grade from the BBB?

First, the company’s explanation to the BBB’s change of heart.

According to the memo that was sent out to the field, both Sandy Pippins and Casie Fuqua have been working with the local BBB chapter to clear up some of the misrepresentations the BBB has concerning YTB. Another huge plus for the upgrade in their system is the frivolous lawsuits filed against the YTB International (and other non-relevant third parties who were also named) is now behind the company. I don’t know what happened to “innocent until proven guilty” in this country – but the mere filing of a lawsuit (no matter how outrageous the suit appears to be) constitutes a failing grade with the BBB.

Anybody can file suit – but then you have to actually prove your case in the court of law to determine the outcome.

I realize there are groups of individuals who believe that deflecting on “issues” or trumped up “problems” is the way to go. The BBB grade the last few years was one of the “issues” people were warning others about to stay away. While venting makes these idiots feel better (momentarily), there’s never really any resolution or solution attained using this method. We’ve seen that example all too often from irate and irrational critics who’ve been attempting to slander YTB with what ever they can dream up. If you take a look at then, verses now – these same clowns are no closer to a resolution than the day decided to start crying about these so called problems.

YTB on the other hand is a company that focuses on solutions rather than problems. They act like adults rather than children who haven’t attained the proper tools to resolve the most elementary issues. By discussing their differences calmly and logically (instead of emotionally charged outbursts) any differences or issues are eventually resolved.

Anyone who’s willing to sit down honestly with YTB (or anyone for that matter) will have a completely different view with proper dialog. If you’re capable of actually learning and comprehending basic business – it’s not that hard to see why YTB or Network Marketing works. Besides, if a company can manage its way through all the mudslinging and false claims it had levied against them – there’s got to be something more to YTB than what you may have seen or read here on the Internet.

Another reason why the BBB may have upgraded YTB’s rating is the BBB, (like Steve Cox, President and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus) may finally realize that they need to supply a more honest review of businesses if they want to salvage any chance of being a respectable organization. From what I hear, pay to play is a big “no no” – and with the cat out of the bag about the BBB – it’s about time they make some changes to this hideous grading system. While the apology from Cox for the BBB’s lack of proper investigation and strong arm tactics was certainly warranted – it’s really just lip service unless you actually DO something to change the way you grade and operate.

As a result, I’m somewhat torn about this new upgrade in YTB’s grade. On the one hand, I want to give the BBB the benefit of the doubt that they’re attempting to make an obvious wrong right. People do it, and companies do it. On the other hand, I also know how lazy our society has become and how a growing segment of the population don’t actually take the time to investigate anything on their own. A C+ could prompt someone to dig a little deeper and the smart one’s would be pleasantly surprised if they obtained information from sources that actually have some type of experience or logical insight.

I guess until I see some more real – honest changes from the BBB, they’re still on double secret probation. Extreme caution and other more reputable sources are still in order when it comes to the BBB for the time being. (I do however hope they can pull it off.)

Regardless of how I feel about the BBB personally – this IS another good sign that the malicious mudslinging that was thrown YTB’s way by confused and uneducated twits’ continues to be wiped away. Like the lawsuits that were designed to destroy a fine viable company – overzealous critics no longer have the BBB to use as a mud ball.

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We’ve been writing our weekly newsletter for the last three years now for YTB and ZamZuu business owners. It’s been one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done. The compliments and appreciation we get from subscribers means more than we can truly express. What started out as a team newsletter has spread throughout the company. Today, we send broadcasts reaching thousands of YTB and ZamZuu subscribers.

While our publication is designed and written for existing members of YTB and ZamZuu only, there are those who have subscribed under false pretenses. Opting to lie about their identity under an assumed name and e-mail address with the intent to play “Mall Cop”. After the California Settlement was reached two years ago, I was contacted by the Home Office with a list of “violations” from the Attorney General’s Office in California.

The AG had incorrectly charged that our publication was being used as a “recruiting tool” which was most certainly expressed by overzealous critics who desperately wanted to have my publication shut down.

After seeing so many desperate and childish stunts which feed Zealots uncontrollable obsession over YTB, we were well prepared for such an outlandish accusation. We set up our newsletter to verify our members with a valid ID and website address. We also used a double opt in feature to ensure that everyone who signed up actually verified with us they did indeed want our publication.

No shenanigans on our end.

These precautions were two fold. One, I wanted to make sure that everyone receiving this information was actually in YTB or ZamZuu already. And two, I fully expected the trolls to sign up – which they did – and were promptly deleted.

While their first attempt under real names and e-mail addresses were banned from our system, the sleaze then resorted to lying. Finding a YTB member in their local area that mirrored a location close to their own IP address, these parasites sucked off the other site owners ID and website address with a newly created gmail.com account and presto! Success in having our publication diverted to their inbox anyway.

Pretty elaborate scheme don’t you think? That’s the kind of bizarre behavior I’ve come to know while they pretend to be this noble, honorable “Mall Cop” for pour, unsuspecting souls. Truth is, they’re as dirty as the day is long.

A quick fix for the entire Attorney General debacle was a report of my entire list of subscribers with valid ID and website address, verification IP address, minus the user last name and e-mail address. The report clearly validated all subscribers were already in YTB and opted in under their own free will. A letter explaining that it was highly improbable that I was “recruiting” existing YTB website owners based on this report was also sent to the Home Office.

Not sure if it was the last time the AG or the Home Office ever heard about these “violations” again, but I certainly haven’t.

Interesting how morals, ethics, and honesty have no place for an obsessed Zealot that has to be right. When it comes to justifying their perceptions and perpetrating their fears and misconceptions to the general public, all this ethical stuff is mere window dressing they like to hide behind. It’s not just my newsletter they’ve infiltrated either. They’ve signed up as free Reps with the company, have become Fans of every Facebook page YTB or ZamZuu has, and have subscribed to every YTB and ZamZuu publication and newsletter they can get their hands on in order to feed their uncontrollable addiction.

With the latest settlement with the Attorney General in Illinois behind us, a new push by these imbeciles is once again in full swing. Obviously, they’re a bit upset that YTB was able to come to an agreement with another Attorney General and we are able to continue our business model. That’s what normal adults do – come to an agreement. Critics however have resorted to intercepting a new round of private correspondence, making its way to the internet with lists of supposed “violations” to say “see I told you I was right”.

While it’s clear that these correspondence are designed for “members only” – it’s upsetting the owners of these publications. Therefore, I’m offering up a list of items or precautions that you should implement in order to protect your publication and our fine company.

First, you need to accept that there will be sleazy little liars who will do and say anything in attempt to save face or to justify their position. Its part of the game they play. While I certainly don’t agree with it, getting upset and frustrated about it gives them the power and the control. You can take every precaution you want, and they’ll find a way to gain access. They’re that desperate for information and they need something they can spin against you and the company.

Second, most systems have a double opt in feature – use it. With the current CAN-SPAM Act that is in place, it’s not just jerks you want to protect against; it’s the FTC. Signing up someone to your mailing list is a practice we’ve never used. If your information and content is the quality it should be, you’ll get plenty of subscribers the right way. Every single subscriber we have has verified with our system they want our publication.

Third and I know this kind of sounds obvious – but put a disclaimer on your sign up page and in your publication something to this effect:

This newsletter is for information purposes for existing Website Sellers and Website Owners only.
It is not to be used as a recruiting tool for anyone outside the YTB company.

It won’t keep the pin heads out – but it will protect you in the event a pin head tries to play “Mall Cop” and claim you’re trying to recruit the general public or violating any rules.

Forth, and I know you’re not going to like this – but either turn off the “forward to a friend” feature or make sure your subscribers know that it’s only to be sent to existing team members. We’ve never used the “forward to a friend” feature for this reason: There may be some really good content that your subscriber wants to share with team members. Those team members however, may not want or feel the information is necessary. An issue we’ve had for years are folks who forward our publication out to team members and the team member unsubscribes the subscriber who sent it – because they don’t want it. (An unsubscribe link is also mandatory with current SPAM laws by the way.) Disabling this feature keeps complaints to a minimum because it’s only going to folks who actually subscribed.

An alternative for team members is having them forward your opt in link and have team members subscribe on their own. What you’ll find is an open rate that extraordinarily high, and a complaint rate that is practically non existent.

And finally, look over your data. We were able to spot our unauthorized troll by looking over our data. When Aweber changed their pricing along with their terms and conditions on us about a year ago, we had to upgrade. While we were upset at first having to pay more for exceeding 2500 subscribers, the new system and reports it offered showed just who was clicking what.

Low and behold, we found that one edition of our publication that was ripped off and posted publicly on a Zealots blog had over one dozen clicks from a single subscriber. A dozen clicks on the same link? Maybe two or three, but that amount raised a red flag. While the subscribers ID matched his website, and the IP matched where he lived – we found this subscriber based in Annapolis, Maryland had two subscriptions. One with a legitimate, unique domain, and the other with a Gmail account. The high click count came from the Gmail account – so we knew who was real and who the liar was.

It took me no time at all to delete the overzealous little twit.

If you have a newsletter and send correspondence to your team, I realize that you’re doing your team a service. I know all about offering news, support, training, mentorship, and positive reinforcement. It does have value and is a worthy and important part of being a true leader. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to acknowledge those traits because they’re so jacked up on hateraide. They simply can’t get past this idea that all you do is recruit and pick the pockets of poor unsuspecting souls. That’s the mantra rattling around in that empty space where a brain should reside. While they have no practical experience to base this limiting and false belief on – trying to change it is a complete waste of your time and effort. Just realize that they own that belief and you don’t have to.

So there you have it folks. Take it from me. These idiots have done it to me dozens of times and to no avail. Follow these simple steps and you not only protect your publication from being squashed, but you protect our fine company as a whole.

PS - If you're involved with YTB, sign up for our FREE Newsletter. As a Website Owner or Website Seller, we'll keep you up to date with all the latest news, acquisitions, and developments with YTB.

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I would start off with “I hate to say it” but that wouldn’t be accurate or true. Fact of the matter is – I’m rather pleased that “I told you so“.

In a press release announced yesterday, YTB has agreed to enter into a final judgment and consent decree by the court without trial or adjudication of any issue of fact or law concerning yet another slanderous and erroneous lawsuit against YTB – this one filed by the Attorney General in Illinois.

Total damages of this lawsuit – basically restitution for approximately 300 people. I’m being generous with this number, simply taking the $500 start-up fee in the purchase of an online booking engine and not accounting for any monthly fees. We’ve learned from the Class Action that has been thrown out of court a half dozen times (and counting) that most who look for this type of refund or restitution don’t give the business much time or effort before they throw up their arms and quit.

Total cost of the restitution – $150,000 which represents 0.002% of everyone who’s ever signed up with YTB Travel as a Referring Travel Agent.

It’s important to note that all this money should go to former RTA’s of the company. There’s never been any fee for the right sell these websites to anyone (known as a “REP”) – although someone in the Class Action suit never paid a dime, but wanted restitution anyway.

Even when you combine the restitution to “victims” in the California suit settled two years ago, that still totals less than $300K. If you’re thinking – “wait a minute that was settled for $1 million?” you’re partially correct. Almost 90% or more exact – $875,000 went directly to the State of California, leaving a measly $125,000 for the “victims” that suit was designed to protect.

Look – I know how all these law suits put some people in a tizzy. Frankly, some who don’t know squat about Network Marketing (and never will the ignorant Zealots) became raving lunatics about the claims filed. Problem is – these suits were just that – claims. Most simply skipped ahead and proclaimed YTB was guilty of what was said simply because it matches their limited knowledge about the industry as a whole.

Now those who claim to be experts but have no real – practical experience will certainly have egg on their face. Truth is and always has been that nobody ever paid for the opportunity to recruit others. In addition and like it or not, other Host Agencies do charge a startup fee and monthly maintenance to partner with them.

And let me tell you – there was just no way any court would allow anyone to bypass those facts. Not even an Attorney General.

So here I sit today, with the same company, pretty much the same booking engine, and an even better opportunity I had three years ago. My commissions have actually increased from 60% to 75% on travel, and I’ve got an online store that gives me additional commission and provides cash back to my customers.

Instead of going out of business like some had speculated – I ended up with a better business. And I didn’t have to move an inch.

That’s what YTB has always been for me. Nor was there ever any doubt that it would survive. The clowns with the circus act with tails about a “house of cards” this and “endless chain” that don’t have a clue what their talking about. I know the industry from experience, I also know that Founders from personal contact. It was very clear to me that people totally underestimated both. That’s why I stuck around.

Sure there will be those that will continue to harp on the failed attempts to put the company under. They need someone like Jerry Brown or Lisa Madigan to justify their meaningless existence and limiting beliefs. There will also be those that want to focus on the recruiting aspect of the company. If they do more power to them – it’s their problem and misinformation, not mine. Network Marketing has been available and sustainable for the last 125 years. So get over it.

To me – honestly – some acted like such crazed dogs they need to be shot and put out of their self-inflicted misery. It never ceases to amaze me how some will just prowl every nook and cranny to find something they can get upset about. Or even worse, just make it up as they go along. And when challenged with an opposing view, they pretend to talk to someone else who agrees with them. Like that’s healthy or even normal.

I have to admit – it’s hard to believe that all this started three years ago. It sure has flown by. Probably because I always knew the bark was far worse than the bite. While some can’t seem to distinguish the obvious difference between a legitimate Direct Sales company or MLM and some long winded and very broad terminology that scream “pyramid scheme” it’s good to see that right still wins over wrong.

Happy to have all this behind us and I’m certainly ready to move on with a stronger, more lucrative, and diversified company. In that regard, I’m certainly not sorry any of this happened. Times like these always separate the weak from the strong – and the strong always get stronger.

Maybe now with this last suit out of the way we can get back to what we initially set out to do three years ago – Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Travel.

It’s been long overdue.

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Back in 2008 I wrote my first e-Book and boy was it a huge hit! At the time it was released to the public, there was a massive backlash going on in the travel industry concerning YTB’s rapid growth and clear signs of success. Travel Agents, already beaten and downtrodden by the Airline industry and online booking engines saw a virtually unknown Network Marketing company explode and take hold in the industry. And it scared the living daylights out of them.

The book entitled “What The Critics Know About YTB” was in reality an April Fools joke with a very distinct message. What made it both a joke and message to anyone who obtained a copy, was the book had nothing written in it. Yep, 100 blank pages. Even more comical – those who didn’t get it at first responded with – “There’s nothing past the first chapter?”

I still have this book and story of how it came about in my auto responder series to help new members of YTB and ZamZuu understand just who these people are and how their own fear and anger prompts the attacks of our fine company and our people.

Tomorrow marks the three year anniversary of this blockbuster e-book. (I’d like to call it a “Best Seller” but it was never actually for sale.) While we are three years removed from the vast majority of the drama that was conjured up by critics and detractors, to this day there remains one lone fool who still fits the mold of my brand of “critic”.

Probably the most difficult aspect when dealing with critics that I’ve had to overcome is they never really learn anything new. Heck, I’ve seen cases were they never even admit to making mistakes. It’s a level of arrogance I still don’t understand, but have come to accept. While I still find them irrational and incredibly dysfunctional, after three years of fighting tooth and nail to justify themselves and their position – they’ve become extremely silly in the way they think and act. Which made the April Fools date perfect for an e-book like mine.

When I saw the news about the sale of the Home Office and the money that was proposed – the very first thing that came to mind was “This is really going to tick someone off.” Even fools realize that several million dollars would be beneficial to anyone receiving it. You need to understand however that a clock has been ticking since late 2007 to 2008 with dreams of our company going belly up. While I barely see most of these Zealots around any longer, several were adamant that the company wouldn’t survive past 2009. (They don’t want to be reminded, so it was much easier to just fade away I guess.)

Not my boy John however, he’s fighting to the death. (Preferably ours in his case.)

The Class Action filed against YTB has been a perfect example of how people just won’t learn. It possess a brand of arrogance that they’re views are the only ones that are right no matter who or what you represent.

The Courts have not only dismissed this case a half dozen times, it’s referred to as nothing more than a “glorified fishing expedition” by the Courts. Other descriptions from the Courts include “redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter“. Yet these fools have been pummeled by the very system they beg too more times than I want to remember – returning for more punishment. They’re currently appealing one of the six rulings against them. Oh, and they tried to file in State Court with essentially the same line of bull they’ve always used – and SURPRISE! The state court rejected the complaint and removed it to Federal Court where motions to dismiss the suit are currently on the docket for these Zealots yet again.

I mean good Lord – when might you call a dog a dog instead of a cat with nine lives? This is exactly the kind of stupidity that makes me think these people are insane. They keep regurgitating the same line over and over and over again – hoping, dreaming, wishing, praying that they’ll get a different result the next go around.

For the record, and I know this to be true in California – and suspect all courts in Illinois carry the same tune – the Courts really didn’t care to waste their time with the Attorney Generals complaints either. I’ve actually seen the head critic spin this as YTB wanting to settle the one remaining case in Illinois with Lisa Madigan. Truth is, it was Madigan’s Office who offered not the other way around. However, unlike arrogant critics, YTB is working with the office to help resolve wording so everyone (well, maybe not everyone) has an understanding of what they are purchasing and what’s actually free.

Not sure, but I suspect the Z-Kit was a result of these negotiations since some people didn’t perceive the “booking engine” as an actual product. (Booking engines are products you buy for a traditional business like Nexion, or Cruise Ship Centers, but not for MLM I guess.) The Z-Kit is the kind of product that’s more in line with traditional Network Marketing because you have something you can actually touch.

But just because you have something simple and straight forward- there’s always going to be that lone fool who’s going to make it look like MLM has is doing something wrong.

Case in point – a blurb I found while reading about the YTB 2010 Annual Report:

YTB/ZamZuu makes a ton of money off of the people that attend the convention. The revenue for the 2010 convention was $322,000. (Page 16) and the expenses were $457,000 (Page 17). So if you do the math that means that the gross income from the convention was $779,000. At $199 to attend, that puts attendance in the area of 3,900. A number YTB did not disclose. But, it is clear that for every person who attended the convention, more than $80 went directly to YTB’s bottom line. That is a 41% commission YTB earned on this event! Most companies tend to make their events affordable. Yes, most make money, but most don’t gouge.

See how that works? Only in MLM can you add revenue and expenses together so the company gouges it’s members. Last I heard (from my 9 year old daughter no less) you add revenue and subtract expenses. And because he’s the only one who can be right – he uses this new “fact” he’s dreamed up (sorry make that “uncovered’) to fuel even more anger and resentment towards the company. And you better believe he’ll warn the YTB faithful this summer that YTB will make a sweet 41% profit margin on the gullible who attend this year.

Makes you wonder just who the gullible one is now doesn’t it?

There were several other numbers in this report that mysteriously couldn’t be found in the actual SEC Filing. I have no clue where they came from honestly – he was (in his own words) “taking a good guess”, and “extrapolating a bit more” than anyone really needed to. But that’s just John being John. Playing the “expert” and words like “extrapolating” make you sound a lot smarter than you really are.

By the way – I think “extrapolating” means “make it up”. He’s never considered the hundreds of millions in travel the company has sold as the focus. The $25 million sold on the “recruiting” side somehow equals more than the $252 million sold on the “travel” side. Again, “gross sales” has always been replaced with “net income” for travel so they can focus on what they fear most – recruiting.

Oh and one more thing before I go. What guy prices out purses and girdles? From what this fool says, both Gina Alexander and Ghiada are overpriced? Is there another fixation other than MLM that we don’t know about?

I just find it odd that he knows so much about women’s apparel and garments.

Or is it just another case of a train wreck pretending to be some sort of expert?

Ah well, the charade continues as “Life According to The Almighty John W. Frenaye”. I have to admit, his escapades and illusions have provided some great content for this site over the years. With the way he bumbles and stumbles with outlandish speculation and absurdly bizarre perceptions it’s actually been fun. (I do enjoy slamming the poor guy.)

With the anniversary of my e-book, and one of the better April Fools jokes I’ve played, I suppose I should thank him for the all the content and for still being the biggest fool I know.

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Not many companies make it past their first year in business. Even fewer make it past year 3. If a company manages to make it through year 5, most business experts will tell you that the company has passed their litmus test concerning “risk”.

Some will tell you MLM has even a slimmer chance of making it past year one. Even if it does make it past the first year, there’s this myth that MLM is nothing more than a house of cards that will eventually topple. These aren’t “experts” mind you, (not by any stretch of the imagination) they’re just people who regurgitate what they were told or what they’ve read somewhere else.

Truth be told, when you look at Amway, Avon, Mary Kay, Tupperware, NuSkin, PrePaid Legal, and Primerica, these examples dispel the myth with documented cases that MLM can be built to last for decades. In Avon’s case, more than a century.

Before YTB, not a single MLM Travel Program made the cut in the travel industry. I can’t tell you all the reasons why these MLM’s failed, mostly because they were here and gone long before I came into the picture in January 2005. I’ve read about dozens of them over the years and can only guess at this point what sealed their ultimate demise. When YTB Travel Network entered the picture however, there was an enormous shift in the way people actually booked travel – moving from “brick and mortar” to “click and order”. There was also a simple shift in mindset and the companies focus.

In 2001, it was the first really big wave of retail sales moving to the internet. Companies like Priceline, Travelocity, and Expedia were making massive jumps in sales as people found it much more convenient to book their own travel on line. Today, Expedia tops the list of Travel Agencies – doing more business than any other “brick and mortar” out there.

Me? I just wanted a small slice of the pie. So I signed up, bought a domain, and BandBVacations.com was born in January 2005. Other than my first full year in business, I’ve made money selling travel every year since. The only reason why my first year didn’t produce a profit was because all the travel “booked” in 2005 were for trips to be “consumed” in 2006. (You don’t get paid in this industry until after the travel has been consumed.) Once a stream of bookings were created after the first year, it’s been profitable every year since – selling “travel”.

From what I’ve read and heard elsewhere, the problem with Travel MLM’s was they were nothing but “card mills”. Pitching that the average “Joe” had an opportunity to travel on the cheap using travel agent credentials. That wasn’t YTB’s focus however. (Although some in the company did abuse that privilege.)

YTB’s goal was much bigger and far more threatening to the industry – to become the largest supplier of travel in the world.

Pretty big goal to be sure. Some would say it was outrageous – even outlandish. Regardless of either opinion, it’s the one key difference that cemented YTB’s success in the industry, making YTB Travel Network the first Travel MLM – and to this day, the only Travel MLM that really matters in the industry.

So, how did YTB Travel Network do in accomplishing its goal of being the largest supplier of travel in 10 years? Depends on how you look at it. While it’s true the company fell woefully short by billions in taking over the number one spot – by projecting and reaching for such a massive goal, the company has solidified itself smack dab in the middle of some of the biggest, most respected agencies in the country.

Not bad for a bunch of MLM Yahoo’s. ;-P

That doesn’t mean however, that YTB Travel Network totally escapes what I’ve come to recognize as nothing more than “guilt by association”. The Network Marketing industry is riddled with a plethora of myths and misconceptions. Combine that with the negative impact other Travel MLM’s had when they entered and then abused the travel industry. What you stir up are intense emotions in traditional sectors of the industry – and quite frankly rightfully so.

You can’t slap a standard – one size fits all label on YTB however. The company broke that mold when it was founded 10 years ago. If the company and its model was indeed the same as all the others, it would have suffered the same fate. I might add that that the company has withstood what most would assume would be insurmountable odds over the last few years. In reality, losing a single cruise line couldn’t possibly have the impact the industry was hoping for. True, it might have worked if everyone would have piled on like traditionalists had hoped for. But when you’re dealing with true business minds and logic instead of pure emotion and anger, that ship never sailed. Vendors weren’t that dumb. Didn’t matter what the “perception” was – YTB as a whole sold a boat load of travel.

Then there’s IATAN. Again, if the perception was correct as stated by IATA that the company was in the business of “selling” credentials to third parties, the company would have folded long ago. Others may have done it, but in YTB – the only way to obtain that credential was to earn it like everyone else – by selling travel. When the company tried to correct the error and appeal – they snubbed their nose at us. Since credentials, and free rides was merely a perception or label, we moved on and continued with our core model and product – producing even more sales and more bookings without the almighty IATAN at our side.

After the attempt to cut off suppliers and IATA failed, California filed a $25 million law suit with claims the company was illegal pyramid just one day before the 2008 Convention. Problem with that was Jerry Brown, the Attorney General at the time who filed the suit, figured out that nobody has ever paid for the “opportunity to recruit others”. (A very common myth in the industry.) Regardless, California still collected $875 thousand in the deal for themselves, leaving the last tenth of the million dollar settlement to the victims Jerry Brown boldly claimed he was trying to protect.

The Government will always get theirs – and since we did nothing illegal we kept our business.

Biggest problem I see with critics who enjoy slamming and shaming the company and its people – is they can’t correlate “BandBVacations.com” with an actual “product”. Never understood that – really. Nexion sells several hosting plans, TravelQuest does as well, even Expedia sells “booking engines” to those looking to get into the travel business.

But try to do that with an MLM – and suddenly the “value” is nonexistent simply because these minions fear the word recruiting. A phobia some never really overcome or grasp. Reality is, all those Hosting Agencies above are attempting to “recruit” you. They need new blood – new recruits in order to maintain and build their brand.

Regardless of what appears to be an obvious oversight regarding the word “product” or even “value” the company has learned how to “dumb it down” so that anyone, (including staunch critics) can understand what we are selling and being paid on moving into its next 10 years of business. (Truthfully, nobody’s really that dumb, they just like to play dumb on the Internet.)

As the parent company YTB International moves into the next 10 years of business, it’s expanded it’s product offering to another huge boom on the Internet.

Online shopping.

Like Travel, YTB or ZamZuu isn’t the first to market this type of product in the industry. Nor will the company be the first to successfully market an online shopping experience in the industry. But there will be a key difference in how commissions are paid to the Representative who sells it.

What hasn’t changed is the “fee” to become a Representative of the company. It’s free – nor are there any requirements to purchase any of the products associated with the company. But the company has finally come up with a way to ease the fears and phobias surrounding paying commissions in Network Marketing with what’s called a Z-Kit.

It’s silly really – not the actual product mind you, but the idea that people actually need a physical product they can feel – touch – and grasp in our industry in order to calm the nerves. Government and society has a lot to do with that. People like me (or others in the company) who can think on their own in logical, rational terms are in the minority. We have to appear to be like everyone else in order to be accepted – or in this case – to be able to keep jerks like Jerry Brown and Lisa Madigan from filing outlandish lawsuits with claims that it’s some sort of pyramid.

What ever happened to logic, and independent thinking?

The problem isn’t the industry – it’s outsiders who perceive the industry through a fixed lens that create the problems. While Royal Caribbean, IATA, Jerry Brown and Lisa Madigan all made bold claims about who we are and what we do. None of them hit the nail on the head.

How can I make such a bold claim? I don’t – but my website does. See, it’s still here – regardless of all the overzealous and wild claims to the contrary.

While I didn’t join the company when it first evolved 10 years ago – my bet is that it will still be here during the next 10 years. That excites some, and terrifies others. Regardless of which end of the spectrum you fall in – BandBVacations.com isn’t you’re choice to make.

It’s mine – and will be for decades to come. And for that I am grateful that there is somebody out there that still relishes and promotes independence, logic, and value in this world.

PS - If you're involved with YTB, sign up for our FREE Newsletter. As a Website Owner or Website Seller, we'll keep you up to date with all the latest news, acquisitions, and developments with YTB.

PPS - Subscribe to the Just Picture It Now RSS feed, (including e-mail) for all the latest posts and updates found right here!

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