Archive for the ‘Scam’ Category

Pay To Play

Monday, May 18th, 2009
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Sigh…here we go again. I’m guessing at this point that we’re just going to keep pushing this notion about YTB being some sort of “pyramid scheme” going until a court, or other legal authority rules in favor of it. I think most are just happy saying it enough times to themselves thinking that if they do, it will actually come true. (There’s no place like home….there’s no place like home….there’s no place…..)

Once again, we have someone (who happens to be the State of Illinois) who thinks that in order for anyone to have a chance to recruit others into the YTB opportunity, business, what ever you choose to call it, you need to pay to play. I contend, just like I have all along, that nobody pays a single red cent for the “opportunity to recruit others”. Instead they pay for a booking engine, a product, to sell travel, services, and goods. What they do with that product and how much money they make using that product depends on how serious they are about marketing with it.

Some could contest that Jerry Brown has stated that he has put an end to to the elaborate scheme based on his press release last Thursday. However, for as many times as I’ve read the actual settlement, the word “pyramid” was only mentioned once, we denied it, and it was never challenged or brought up again by the State.

Instead, the settlement outlines what we’ve been doing all along; that nobody is required nor does anyone pay to become a Rep, Independent Marketing Representative, or what is now stated in the settlement as a “Website Seller”. You are also free to become a Website Seller without becoming a Website Owner or a Website Owner without becoming a Website Seller.

Contrary to what some of the papers and media have been reporting, YTB is still doing business in California. In fact, Scott and Lauri Tomer we there for two meetings this past weekend. Why Scott would visit so soon after YTB ended, or from being banned I couldn’t tell you.

Maybe ego’s need to be stroked and the media is just looking for a juicy headline…hummmmmmm.

I’ve never seen a week when more Google Alerts and Trade Publications mention YTB more than it did last week. Not even at Convention last year when the carefully crafted suit was filed in hopes that is would make everyone scurry home instead of enjoying what we came to see. (One heck of a show and some good fellowship with like minded friends.) I even went back to check my e-mail on the Google alerts and it wasn’t even half as many as last weeks all time high. Reading the headlines and a couple of the stories associated with them, I just have to shake my head and wonder what this fascination is with our company.

Bottom line, I have to believe that it’s “fear” based on pure ignorance. (False Evidence Appearing Real) Ignorance by the way does not mean that you’re stupid by the way, it simply means that you don’t know what you need to in order to make a sound choice or decision. I have to also say this is my “belief” because I certainly don’t, nor would I ever want to “think” like some of these poeple think. It’s just not a makeup that suits me (or anyone) favorably. Most of the focus is based in that green stuff we call money. They say that money is number one cause for divorce, and for good reason. Most poeple don’t know what to do or how to feel about money. It’s an item that has far to many limiting beliefs attached to it.

When it comes to YTB and money, you certainly don’t have to pick sides of who you’re pulling for or you’re hating here. You can, and most do, pick both.

On the one side, they hate the greedy rich people who conned everyone out of their money and are now living the high life in big mansions, driving exotic cars and flaunting it in front of everyone. Then there’s the other side, the “victims”, the people who got their pockets picked that these crusaders are trying to protect and keep safe.

This protecting that they do, reminds me of a story about a man many, many years ago who decided it might be best to actually teach people to fish, rather than give them a fish so they can eat for one day. But that might have to wait for another time and another post. (Although teaching is what I’ve been doing with this blog for many, many years for those who want to listen.)


So here we are, right back where we started again. California behind us, and able to continue doing business with some better clarification on what makes them “feel better” about who we are and what we do. Now it’s time to find out, and we do have a much better idea of what Illinois concerns are, to help them with their issues surrounding who our company is and what our company actually does.

By the way, and I’ll leave you with this before I head up to Wood River this morning for Red Carpet.

While it was mentioned back in August that Illinois was co-operating with California during it’s investigation of YTB, did you know that Illiniois didn’t bother to contact YTB once during the entire 9 month process? Heck we didn’t even know what was filed in the suit until Friday when we they fixed thier fax and sent it to us. (Apparently they only had one in the office that was broken.)

We did get in touch with them on Friday, and we’ll have our first sit down with them shortly concerning what they believe. I know…it might have helped during the California proceedings…but that’s not how this whole thing is designed to work here. The plan is to keep the words “pyramid” and “deceptive” in the public eye long enough that it bleeds the company dry via legal costs and loss of recruiting numbers to put us out of business.

Or at least that’s the hope. ;-P

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!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Book Your Travel & Vacations With


TSO #588629
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But I thought…

Monday, November 24th, 2008
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I’ve been amazed; surprised actually over the amount of traffic I’ve been getting over both the Liberty Travel layoffs and Cruise Value Center shutting down without notice. For weeks I’ve seen both these searches add up to what are now top search terms for traffic to this site. The buzz on the internet from various boards and forums has been surprising to say the least.

The Cruise Value Center abrupt closing has more clients searching for answers which shouldn’t be a shock, since there were only some 65 employees affected in this closure. The majority of people who are in panic mode right now are the thousands of clients who have booked cruises through CVC who are wondering if they’ve just been scammed.

Unfortunately, for those who recently booked a cruise with Cruise Value Center they may not have a boarding documents coming to them. A report I found said that CVC never paid $2 million to $3 million in cruise fares to the cruise lines. That’s a hefty amount of money to be…well, sunk.

Liberty Travel on the other hand is more concerned with “their own” and I can’t even begin to count the number of people who feel they’ve been wronged in this whole ordeal.

Which begs the question, what do you do when your company cuts your pay or lays you off? You file a lawsuit of course! Yep, looks like Liberty Travel has gotten themselves in more hot water. This isn’t the first time Liberty has faced charges of unfair labor standards. They’ve already settled for $2.76 million, with $413,571 awarded to 245 travel agents from Liberty Travel offices across Pennsylvania. Another Class Action suit filed on behalf of 564 Liberty Travel agents, who will receive $42,500 each as compensation for their efforts.

Now I’ve been told that the traditional arena doesn’t have these kinds of problems. Suits because you feel you’ve been ripped off or scammed don’t happen to “legitimate agencies”. (Liberty is a Top 10 Agency according to Travel Weekly by the way.) Nope, lawsuits of this nature are strictly reserved for the likes of Travel MLM’s. The Traditional arena would NEVER have someone call them a scam, or even worse, actually file a lawsuit against them.

It doesn’t take much for anyone in this country to go out and file a lawsuit. While I realize all the focus and attention for some is how the Network Marketing industry leaves people high and dry. For the “average Joe”, they want something more stable, more secure. I have to wonder how the people caught up in the following list now feel about how “secure” their jobs were.

I’d try to call them to find out and report on it, but the problem is…I just don’t know where to start.

  • CitiGroup 53,000
  • Whirlpool 5,000
  • Pepsi 3,300
  • Xerox 3,000
  • HP 25,000
  • Goldman Sachs 3,260
  • Chrysler 1,825
  • Merck 7,200
  • Sun Microsystems 6,000
  • Yahoo 1,500
  • Ebay 1,600
  • Lehman Bros. Thousands
  • Bear Sterns Thousands
  • Enterprise 200
  • American Express 7,000
  • Circuit City Thousands Bankrupt
  • DHL Express 9,500 Bankrupt
  • Delta Airlines Thousands
  • General Motors Thousands
  • Ford Motor Co 2,260
  • Starbucks 13,000
  • Motorola 5,600
  • Fidelity 1,300
  • Mattel 11%
  • Atlantis 800
  • Morgan Stanley 19%
  • B T Group 10,000 (Britain’s largest phone company)
  • YUM Brands: (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell) Hundreds
  • Las Vegas Sands Casino 11,000

I’ve got to ask, does it look to you like this myth of getting a good education and finding a job to go work for look all that secure to you?

For some, this might be the first time that they’ve been cut back or laid off. They’re the lucky ones. I’ve been involved with two companies in my career that have either been shut down or gone bankrupt in the past. I’ve also seen dozens of my co-workers laid off due to downsizing or cutbacks.

And some have the gall to tell me that Network Marketing is flawed. Doomed to collapse. I’m sorry, but going back to work for someone else who can hand me a pink slip whenever they feel they need to just doesn’t feel all that secure to me. My future and my income shouldn’t be determined by someone else.

I’ll be very happy to take that responsibility on thank you.

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!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Book Your Travel & Vacations With


TSO #588629
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YTB 101

Friday, January 18th, 2008
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When I first introduced everyone to John Frenaye back in October, I mentioned that I cut my teeth debatingreal honest to goodness Anti-MLM Zealots. If you’ve ever spent any time at all with the fine folks on Scam.com it makes some of our Travel Agents look like Saints. (Okay, Saints might be pushing it as you will soon find out, but you get the idea.) There are a couple of key features about Anti-MLM Zealots that I’ve learned over the years, which I need to clarify for everyone before we begin.

They selectively use evidence that supports their case and throw away (or ignore) anything else that doesn’t. They work by categorizing, separating, hiding, judging and condemning, attacking and rejecting. When they’re in trouble like they were with me, they try to distract everyone from all the good news, all the company and personal success of folks like me. They blow the whole situation out of proportion. By making a lot of noise, they think everyone will miss what is really going on.

I was first introduced to John back in August, after being sent an article he wrote about Travel MLM’s. Knowing nothing about John, I simply labeled him another one of the Zealots and wrote him off as “clueless”. I was then re-introduced to John here on my blog when he made the mistake of posting a few comments on my blog. I’m sure by now; most of you realize that I can certainly handle my own with anyone who attempts to promote myths and misconceptions about YTB. However, unlike most, I can also recognize, acknowledge, and admit YTB’s shortcomings, (few as they are) and to John’s credit, he has also recognized some of the benefits of YTB.

I also have the benefit of experience with YTB. My last post regarded my 3 year Anniversary with YTB. I’ve seen, heard, and experienced far more than most in this company. When I joined the company in January of 2005, YTB was just over 8,000 active RTA’s. Because of this history, I happen to know a considerable amount about the company, and I would imagine that certain points I’m about to make concerning our company may not even be known to those in YTB. For this reason, I think I might have a unique perspective as to why John has been so frustrated in not being able to find some of his answer to questions he HAS posted on his blog several times.

I’m also going to call a spade a spade concerning some of the questions John claims he does not have the answers to just yet, and that’s the tricky part even for me about all this. I really like John, he’s extremely intelligent, and we have become good friends, he can still play a very clever devils advocate simply to promote his positioning that Travel and MLM’s don’t mix. To be completely fair and honest however, he does this because of his positioning and underlying belief that the two subjects “Travel” and “MLM” do not mix.

Travel for him and other traditionalist take a high level of expertise and service in order to work in the industry. As a promoter on the other side of the fence I do it too. I point to the $40 Billion in Travel that was booked by average consumers making many reservations right over the internet without any formal training what so ever. His job is to promote all that is bad about the YTB model (this includes ALL travel MLM’s), and my job is to promote all that is good.

To our credit, we have both been willing to recognize and admire what each brings to the table in this debate as individuals. I firmly believe that our friendship has enabled us to focus on the real issues concerning what’s happening in our industry, rather than on the person.

I wanted to set the stage before I got into these questions. You will notice that neither one of us resort to name calling, or belittling each other. He knows that I respect his position and ideals, as he respects mine. That does not mean that we agree with the perspective or position however, and there is a difference. We both have very strong convictions in what we believe, and each of us bring a considerable amount of personal history and experience in our fields to form these beliefs. We are grown men and can handle the criticism. If we didn’t feel we could, we certainly wouldn’t leave this type of debate and conversation as open for everyone to view as we do.

John has a very long list of questions which I have taken to task to answer. From the looks of it, I’ve got my work cut out for me.

Oh, Yee of little faith…that’s what d
ocumentation is for! I’ll also be pointing out when these questions have been answered (and backed with documentation) here just to give you a little taste of how all this works. It’s a neat little trick the other side uses to keep doubt and discontent at the forefront. Trust me, it’s been going on for years, and while I don’t expect anyone to read through 2 ½ years of posts (July of 2005) in a single thread rehashing the same topic over and over without any resolution after 62 pages and 2460 comments. (Well, not entirely accurate. Some do get it and make that 2461.)

I have been able to show a very few what’s what. We do have one Zealot however who was shown the door, but then simply created another screen name and to start posting the same questions again just to save face. What’s so incredibly strange and sad at the same time for this individual is that he has not one lick of experience in either the Travel Industry or Network Marketing, and the subject of YTB controls his life that he is posting on average close to 4 times a day simply to trash our company.
While the thread on Scam.com has gotten boring and old for me, I do find debating the issues fun and while John certainly has a number of traits similar to Anti-MLM Zealots at least he’s intelligent and respectful. (Just like I’m a YTB Yahoo who drinks Kool-aid that’s intelligent and respectful.)

My My My…look at how far we’ve come.

Stay tuned…this should be fun!

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!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Book Your Travel & Vacations With


TSO #588629
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Latest news from YTB National Convention!

Monday, August 27th, 2007
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I’ve been thinking about all those people who told me that YTB would never work, that it’s a scam, it would never last, it would never amount to anything. Travel Weekly as the 35th largest Travel Agency in the Country, and ranked number 11 for leisure travel sales. A 6 year old company with no advertising, requires no experience to get started, and relies on our Agents to simply point people to their web site? Who knew? Not only has our company stock been climbing since December of last year, we benefited from a 1-3 stock split this summer tripling the amount of shares that we now own, and just before the Convention, YTB posted a $1.7 profit for the second quarter of 2007. My, how things have changed.

Well – Well – Well, take a look at us now!

Coach Tomer was quoted in an interview back in January how we should respond to all the critics. “You beat that by proving yourself. We just keep doing the right thing.” Because we did the right thing, it’s been a really good summer for our family and YTB Travel Network with recognition and announcements that not only adds credibility, but nails the door shut that YTB International would never amount to anything. I’m still gloating over our listing in

Nearly 11,000 Referring Travel Agents attended the YTB annual National Convention in St. Louis, MO. I was very proud to have a number of team members who attended a weekend of recognition of the past year’s high sales achievers, providing team building ideas, inspirational and motivational seminars, future plans, and several major announcements. The first two days of the Convention, we had the opportunity to select from 132 business classes at YTB University. These classes were taught by field leaders, corporate staff, and outside professionals. The information was invaluable enabling all of us to learn from the best of the best.

When the General Sessions started Friday morning I was blown away by the amount of people who were in attendance, but even more so by the dynamic stage complete with a cruise ship and what appeared to be a life size commercial airliner which hung above a runway. The atmosphere was certainly electric right from the start.

Did I say several major announcements? Right from the start, the company released major bombshells at every General Session all weekend long, starting with our new personalized booking engine to include more features that myself and our clients have requested. We have a new, state-of-the-art cruise engine, and also added several niche sites that will appeal to travel customers. Fell free to check out our new Golf Site, Flowers Site, and YTB Weddings page which can be accessed through the Extras tab on the home page along with YTB Cars which was also launched in July. Additional specialty sites are being developed and will be available soon to include skiing, adventure, and extreme travel custom pages.

Our new Marketing website has been completely revamped and launched with a spectacular new look and tons of new features to better assist us in our YTB business! You can read recent BizReports and hear the latest Conference Training Calls without have to have access to our Back Office. Check out the new high resolution “Take a Look at YTB” video located in the center of the page! This has been a surefire way to interest prospects in hearing more about this great company.

RTAs just starting out now have the capability to purchase health care insurance with no questions asked! In addition to our Directors who build teams, now any RTA who earns $25,000 in travel commissions in a 12-month period will qualify for fully paid health insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Commission level must be maintained to continue to receive this benefit. Now the company will provide both team builders AND Travel Commission builders equal benefits in both Health and Life Insurance. By the way, the Life Insurance Policy was also increased from $100,000 to $150,000 for our Directors.

Effective January 1, 2008, new requirements will be in place in order to qualify for a YTB Referring Travel Agent credential card. RTAs joining as of January 1, 2008 must sell a minimum of $1,500 in travel before applying for the RTA credential card. RTA’s who wish to qualify for CLIA credentials must sell a minimum of $2,500 in travel in order to carry this prestigious credential. Renewal credentials will not be required to meet this qualification. (Annual testing and fees with CLIA still apply for all RTA’s)

YTB’s famous Bill of Rights has now been amended to add even more protection. In addition to our residual commission, YTB now protects all Rep commissions and bonuses.

YTB is in the process of getting “Cleared for Takeoff” in Canada! The company will announce during Coach’s Birthday Bash a firm CANADA GO LIVE date, which will be sometime between January 5th and January 20th, 2008. YTB will schedule a Kickoff Canada meetings within 30 days after the GO LIVE date. I’ll keep an eye on upcoming BizReports for the latest news for our neighbor to the north! (Beauty eh?”)

YTB is also introducing a twice annual publication all about TRAVEL! “Fun and Travel” magazine discusses travel trends, features preferred vendors, and reviews the hottest travel destinations. It will be available at the Funshine Travel Trade Show in Orlando, Florida to be held Friday and Saturday, October 5-6, 2007. More information on pricing and availability will be published in upcoming BizReports and I’ll be sure to let you know.

YTB is also looking to help the “Traditional Travel Agents” fight back. I know for example most Travel Agents still in business today focus on the Luxury market. Cruises, All-Inclusive packages, Tours and such. I also know loyal clients often call for airline, hotels, and car rentals that are not productive use of time. Because they are loyal clients Agents can now send clients to the internet to book their day to day travel themselves through a private label YTB Booking engine tied to the Agency. Agents can now take back some of the commission lost to airlines and those big on line booking engines. You may have heard of them, Travelocity, Orbitz, and Expedia? For a set period, RTAs credentialed by another travel agency can qualify to become a YTB Referring Travel Agent for only $49.95. We will waive the initial $449.95 start up costs! This offer good August 17 through midnight CT December 2, 2007.

RTAs will also have an opportunity to sell a one-year subscription in a Two Fly Free program for a $300 fee. This will allow for free airfare from select cities when purchased in conjunction with a 7-10 night hotel stay (international destinations are also available). In a recent comparison on a trip to Hawaii for a group of six, savings of over $10,000 could have been realized using this program. Two Fly Free program details are being finalized and this program will be available through the RTA booking engine. I’ll watch upcoming BizReports for more details.

Two new DVD tools and books where introduced as well, “Coach’s Playbook” and “Circle of Champions”. “Coach’s Playbook” is a 55-minute DVD and booklet showing you how to effectively build your business, created by the founders, Coach, Scott, and Kim. This includes YTB business fundamentals, the key to understanding the YTB compensation plan, and an inside look at how YTB began and the passion behind it. “Coach’s Playbook” will be included in the Toolbox welcome kit for all new RTAs. The “Circle of Champions” DVD and booklet features the stories of the Top 12 Million Dollar Diamond Ring earners. They share you with what this business means to them as they invite you into their homes and families. “Circle of Champions” booklet also included in the Toolbox welcome kit for all new RTAs.

O
ur new 131,000 square foot Home Office being renovated is going Green! The building will meet the goals of the 2030 Worldwide Challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the building by 50%. It will be built on new construction standards called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) The LEED Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. We are also working to buy a large swath of nearby land, currently a cornfield, along Route 143, and wants to build a hotel and conference center and perhaps more office space, total land owned will be more than 59 acres.

Think it’s been a good summer? You bet it has! From the looks of it, it’s going to get even better as we continue to execute our business plan and continue to take the industry by storm. There is little doubt YTB is the current leader in the Networking Travel Industry, and from what’s been laid out before us, there is little evidence that this will change. We make no bones about the fact that our goal is the be the #1 Travel Agency in the world, and it’s good to see signs that we are rapi
dly moving in that direction.

If you’d like help get us to our goal, we’d love to have you! Feel free to pick up the phone and call us or simply leave your information on our automated lead capture page so we can call you on our dime at www.justpictureitnow.net.

As in Just Picture It Now, you too can be a part of this incredible company and industry.

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!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Book Your Travel & Vacations With


TSO #588629
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TravelPro & Pro YTB Banned from Scam.com

Sunday, February 4th, 2007
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When you play with snakes, you’re bound to get bit. Lately, I’ve been trying to help some of the misinformed, disillusioned folks on Scam.com. Apparently, I’m not allowed to speak for those of us in YTB who are making a living and successful with the company. Those of us who want to reach out and help those who have been introduced to the business or expressing our experience with the company will get you BANNED!

What’s most amusing to me is that it was one of the forum members who called me to tell me that I was banned. I was never informed from the moderators or administrators. I have requested an explanation as to why Scam.com decided to ban me, but have yet to receive any type of explanation. (I doubt I ever will.) When you’re dealing with Anti-MLM Zealots who close their minds to anything that differs from their own views, they don’t need to give explanations.

Oh well, it is their site. They are certainly free to operate any way they choose.

Corporate PyramidFor those of you who don’t know what Scam.com is, here is my experience. It’s a place where people can go to promote all their troubles and slander any company of their choosing. A site like Scam.com promotes myths, misconceptions and ignorance out there about the industry. All MLM’s are Pyramid Schemes, all MLM’s are Scams and if you don’t agree with this mantra, you’re simply banned without any explanation or reason. It’s not limited to our industry, it’s simply a place that promotes all that’s wrong or negative in our world today. It never ceases to amaze me how so many people tend to lay blame on things outside of themselves. It’s always someone else’s fault for anything that goes wrong. And that’s why a board like Scam.com thrives. The vast majority of the people, who post there, are simply bitter, angry, negative people, and gosh daren’t they want to keep it that way! What’s even more amazing is that very few of them, if any, have ever really experienced, or remotely been involved with anything their complaining about.

I had been reading this board from time to time, and a few months ago decided to give some of these folks there “a clue” about how things really are with YTB and the Network Marketing industry in general. Understand YourTravelBiz.com is a Network Marketing Company; YTB Travel Network is a full service Travel Agency. These pour souls simply label all companies “Pyramid Schemes” or a “Scam”. They simply don’t know any better based on what the “heard about” or what they “read about”. With a board like this getting so much activity, and the YTB thread getting so much attention; I decided to throw my hat into the ring and step up to show some of the readers that an average guy, like me, CAN make a viable living with this company and industry. Based on my two years of experience with this company, it’s simply not the doom and gloom everyone wants to make it out to be.

It’s not that I was entirely unsuccessful in doing so. I did in fact help a lot of people. I wish I could access some of the posts and private messages on the board, but they can no longer be accessed or have simply been deleted. I do have a couple of private e-mails in which people have expressed how much they appreciated how I have helped them.

Hello Doug,

I wanted to thank you for your contribution to the scam.com thread on YTB. I am doing my due diligence on the company to see if it would be a good fit for me personally, and I ran across this thread via a search on Google.
A lot of trash was thrown up, but I was impressed on how you handled the opposition. You helped me check off a lot of the questions I have on my list of what I am evaluating on the company.

I wish you the best,

Steve

There was another post I read just last week, from a gentleman named Drew in Texas. He took the time to post his sincere gratitude on how I’ve been able to inspire him and help him in his own journey with YTB. He was having some problems, mostly from others just like the ones on Scam.com. After finding my posts however, he found the strength and wisdom to continue moving forward with new insights about what this company and industry really means. I wish I could share that with you as well, but the entire thread had been deleted. In the short time I was allowed to post on these boards, I did touch a number of lives in a positive way, and for that I am grateful.

You need to understand something when it comes to Anti-MLM Zealots. They selectively use evidence that supports their case and throw away (or ban) anything else that doesn’t. They work by categorizing, separating, hiding, judging and condemning, attacking and rejecting. When they’re in trouble like they were with me, they try to distract everyone from all the good news, all the company and personal success of folks like me. They blow the whole situation out of proportion. By making a lot of noise, they think everyone will miss what is really going on. I actually had some great fun playing with a few of the members on the board. The more they attacked, and rejected, the more evidence I brought to the table that dispelled their illusion. It wasn’t all that hard, most never even had any personal experience in YTB, let alone the industry.

That’s all it is, an illusion. They live in a world based in fear and lack, often living in the past, (which doesn’t exist anymore) bringing it into the present, and predicting the future, (which also doesn’t exist) to scare everyone into believing that there is something inherently wrong with the Network Marketing Industry and it should be banned from society. We are liars, cheats, who pray on the poor unsuspecting souls, the “bottom feeders” whose pockets we pick to line all the pockets of “The Man” up at the top. Because they feel this way, everyone else needs to feel the same way, and if you don’t, God help you.

They love linking to Wikipedia, an on-line encyclopedia in an attempt to educate us. Only using information that supports their view on the page, and negating information on the same page that supports Network Marketing. (That was fun!) They love to refer to decade old Pyramid Schemes that the Government has shut down. They also like to refer to some of their heroes who have gotten so much attention elsewhere on the internet offering “proof” that their views are valid. They can’t come up with anything original on their own so they refer to these references over and over. Lengthy articles like “What’s Wrong With Multilevel Marketing?” by Dean Van Druff, “False Profits” and “Pyramid Nation” by Dr. Robert FitzPatrick, “Behind The Smoke & Mirrors” by Ruth Carter, “Product Based Pyramid Schemes” and “Tall Taxing Tails” by Dr. Jon Taylor along with web sites like MLM Survivors. Leonard Clements spend some considerable time a few years ago looking at all these so called heroes and does a very effective job dispelling the myths and illusions of these poor misguided folks. I enjoyed reading his series of articles “Anti-MLM Zealots Me Thinks Dot Protests Too Much”. I found it ironic that I actually found this gem on Scam.com, doubly so, since he had much the same experience I did with Scam.com being ban from MLM Survivors.

By the way…if you’ve ever wanted to know the REAL story behind the term “Pyramid Scheme”, Tim Sales did an excellent article a few months back entitled “Is MLM Really a Pyramid Scheme?

So, my days on Scam.com are over. I guess all I can do at this point is ride off into the sunset. Hopefully never to be forgotten by some of the fine individuals who come there doing their due diligence on YTB and Network Marketing. There are a lot of smart people who view these threads, and many of them see these poor misguided souls for what they really are. If I ever do get a response from the moderators or administrators, I’ll let you know. (Don’t hold your breath!)

That being sad, it’s time to go get a shower and cleanse myself from all the filth I endured for the last few months. What to do after that? I can still find effective ways of helping thousands of people, and in return I’ll create even more wealth, abundance, and joy!

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!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Book Your Travel & Vacations With


TSO #588629
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The Answer To Your Question…

Friday, March 10th, 2006
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Fact: If you are not into free enterprise, you ARE working for someone who is.

I’ve noticed something interesting in the past few months, quite by accident. I wrote an entry about my one year anniversary with YTB Travel and Cruises back in January. In that entry, I mentioned how some people wonder if what I do is a “scam” or “pyramid”. What is interesting about that is more people find me because of that entry than any other entry I have written. They find me because they do a Google, Yahoo, or MSN search looking for “YTB Scam” or “YTB Pyramid” and up pops this entry, often on the first page! It made me begin to think, these are the same people who get up and go to work every day working for someone else, being tied down to someone else’s schedule, trading hours for wages, and I’m considered the scam!

It’s not the Pyramid they are afraid of. It’s one of the strongest structures known to man, look at the Egyptian Pyramids. It’s the form of your family tree, the form of Government, and the form of every business model out there, no matter what type of business it is. But somehow, people find it more comforting, more socially acceptable, to start at the bottom of a pyramid and work their way UP, rather than starting at the top and building something beneath them. Are they not worthy of being a leader?

Some just want the “guaranteed income” that is associated with working for someone else. Your income is not dependent on you, but your employer. Just like the 15,000 employees of Ford who worked in the Hapeville Plant until they shut the plant down a few months ago, or part of BellSouth, who just got bought by AT&T this week, and will be moving the headquarters to Texas. Maybe you were fortunate enough to work for a company like Enron. Couldn’t happen to you? That’s what they said too. You’re grateful for the 2% raise each year, even though the cost of inflation increases at triple the rate. (We won’t even get into gas prices this last year!) You have your 9 or 10 paid holidays a year and a few sick days you can take, along with a week or two worth of vacation time, and you’re satisfied. Besides, you may be reading this while you’re on the clock and still getting paid by your employer to do so.

You do have one guarantee in your current job…you will NEVER make more money that your boss, let alone the President or CEO or your company.

Countless people are running successful businesses, making absolute fortunes working from home, utilizing the internet. This is the age of hybrid businesses with brilliant marketing techniques and most people don’t even know that these opportunities even exist or how to get started. Worse, these opportunities are simply dismissed as scams because we have been brainwashed that you go to school, get an education, and then GET A J.O.B. to climb the corporate ladder. It’s drilled into our heads that anything that we have to pay money into, in order to get paid, is a scam. My momma told me “Never, ever, ever pay someone money, with the promise of making it rich.”

Let’s look at a current business model of what your current employer could have done in order to recruit you into his or her business.

Franchise or start up fees of $100,000 to $500,000.

Waiting four-years until your business clears a profit.

Overhead, hassle, of hiring staff or an expensive office.

Working 60-80 hours a week or being a slave to their business.

Yet, when you look at this model, you’re not thinking scam or pyramid. (Maybe, how in the world does someone come up with 100 G’s?) But if someone asks you for a one time set up fee for this franchise of $400 and $50 a month, everyone scrambles to the internet to see if it’s a scam. Maybe you’ve been “burned” one too many times, or, maybe it just sounds “too good to be true”.

I didn’t find this business and make a gazillion dollars my first year, but I will tell you this. The money I saved just on our taxes alone last year because of owning my own Home Based Business, more that quadrupled the amount of money I spent to start and maintain this business. This includes all the training I took and the odds and ends expenses of promotional materials, business cards, internet access, and cell phone usage. I made all that money back and then some, my first year. My company and what I do with YTB is approved by the IRS. The amount of money that I did make in my spare time gave me a couple of nice new things and enabled me to spend more time with my family when I wanted. It made me think about what I could do with this if I worked it like a Part Time job. Devoting just 20 hours a week, talking to people to either book their next vacation, or show them how they can have their own business.

Yes, it helps if you open you mouth and actually talk to people. That may terrify you. You’re not talking about some $40 bottle of juice that they need to drink because you have thousands of dollars worth of boxes stocked up in your garage. Take a look at my inventory at BandBVacations.com. Who does not want something like this?

I’ve got a question for you, and I’d like you to answer this honestly. Would you like to take a vacation? I nor anyone I know has ever gotten a “No” to that question! What in the world are you afraid of?

Is YTB a scam? You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s a legitimate business model that has changed lives, including mine. I love the fact that I found a business that doesn’t require a lot of money to start, and is and easy product to talk about. I’ve been telling people for years that “A cruise is the best vacation money can buy.” But now when I tell someone that, I get paid a commission by helping them take that cruise or by simply pointing them to me web site to book it by themselves. If they book it with Barry Dillar, who spent $53 Billion to start Expedia, he sends them a confirmation.

Whether or not you choose to believe anything I say is entirely up to you. I’m not into convincing people that they need this business. I also understand you may have some questions. I’ll give you honest, no hype answers. It not about what’s in it for me, it’s about what’s in it for you. You have my contact information below and I do that for a reason. Even if someone else has introduced you to this awesome business, I don’t care. I want to help you.

That’s the YTB way.

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!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Book Your Travel & Vacations With


TSO #588629
Share