Life After MLM Episode 296 : Little Bosses Everywhere
5 snips
May 4, 2025 
Bridget Read, author of 'Little Bosses Everywhere', reveals the dark history of pyramid schemes in America. The conversation dives into the toxic legacy of MLMs and highlights the early connections between industry giants like Amway and American politics. Bridget explores the impact of multi-level marketing tactics on small businesses and mental health, while critiquing the narratives perpetuated by influencers. Listeners are encouraged to recognize the struggles faced by those ensnared in these exploitative systems and the need for greater awareness and reform.
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Carl Renborg's MLM Origins
- Carl Renborg was an early vitamin salesman who experimented with homemade vitamins and various odd ingredients.
- His obsession cost him relationships and mirrored struggles of many MLM participants today.
Vitamins as Nationalist Project
- The vitamin industry grew as a nationalist project, promoting supplements as vital for American soldiers in WWII.
- Vitamins became a symbol of American superiority and health, spurring consumer demand.
MLM Roots in Eugenics
- MLM's founders had ties to aggressive sales and eugenicist ideology promoting an idealized, efficient workforce.
- MLM systems enforce people management strategies that pressure individuals to become their 'best' selves while marginalizing others.
