I have been a fan of USANA for several years. They are a good company. They have shown steady growth and I have never heard any goofy wonder-cure promises about the USANA products. When I was the president of a small Network Marketing company, I used USANA as a good business example in a number of areas.
Having said that, USANA is now in trouble and the trouble is going to get worse before it gets better. I’m not saying that USANA will go out of business…I’m pretty confident they are stable in that respect. However, USANA associates will struggle with finding new customers and associates.
This is bad news for associates who are really putting in the effort to build a profitable business. The high level associates and corporate executives will do their best to divert attention and control the damage and keep people motivated. The efforts of the executives will work for a while, but not a long while. I know first hand how hard it is to build a company that has a poor reputation. It is no fun.
I hate to say it, but if you are a USANA associate, it might be a good time to consider adding a 2nd company to your business plan. I am not a fan of diverting your attention into another company, but this is a different situation.
If you are like the reported 80% + people who signed up for USANA because you wanted cheaper USANA products, keep on ordering and enjoying your products. If you are one of the 20% that are in USANA to build a business, I wish you the best of luck.
Here are couple of unique ideas in the home based business industry that are unrelated to health and wellness:
Send Out Cards – My wife uses these cards to keep in touch with friends and family. I think this is a good business to share with people outside of the industry.
Scent-sations/Mia Bella Candles – I like candles and my friend Kari Anderson has built a great business (she even brought her husband home from work to help her).
The Traveling Vineyard – Host a wine tasting, drink wine, make money. Sounds fun. (Not available in all states)
It seemed to me that you "tried" or "pretended" to sound "sincere and caring" in what you wrote so it came across to me as an attempt to benefit yourself at the expense of USANA Associates by playing on any potential confusion, fear, insecurity, etc they may be experiencing. My feeling is that what is being attempted by Barry Minkow and his minions is threatening ALL network marketing companies so you better be rooting with full force that USANA stays strong and blows the allegations away and once again emerges as the #1 network marketing company and opportunity with the best of the best products. Otherwise, you'll be shooting yourself in the foot.
Justin
I don't promote Send Out Cards but I use it to send 100s of cards every month to my other business myself. It's the first time in my life I became "Customer Only" to an MLM product or service.
Justin,
You say that I am being insincere then you follow that with a bunch of hype about USANA being the # 1 Network Marketing company and Opportunity.
Whatever.
Here is the deal…I am rooting for USANA, but I am also realistic about the average person being able to build a profitable business while the company is being drilled in the media.
There was a terrible post about USANA on a major stock blog yesterday. I read it and thought about posting a snip and linking to it, but I decided not to. Why did I decide not to post it? Because I want to see USANA come through this.
If you are involved with USANA, I am not saying quit. I am saying that it would be smart (financially) to think about diversifying.
You said that 80% of people sign up at Usana for cheaper products. Can you prove that?
I said reportedly 80%…
I think the number came from the USANA CEO. You can ask him for proof.
USANA is a great company and will only grow strong in the future.
http://hsb.usana.com