logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2025
50m 3s

Multi-Level Marketing: Your Product is Y...

Wondery
About this episode

Multi-level marketing businesses like Mary Kay, HerbaLife, and Amway are so ubiquitous, it's almost hard to imagine where they started or how deep their influence goes. In this special episode of Scamfluencers, Sarah Hagi talks with Bridget Read about her new book, Little Bosses Everywhere: How the Pyramid Scheme Shaped America. She spent years researching the origins of the “pyramid scheme,” a twist on the classic Ponzi scam, and she talks about who is most vulnerable to these massive, billion-dollar frauds, and why they’ve become unavoidable today.

Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter

Listen to Scamfluencers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/scamfluencers/ now.


See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Oct 6
Imelda Marcos: The First Lady of Excess Part 2 | 181
After declaring martial law in 1972, Ferdinand Marcos cemented his dictatorship over the Philippines – jailing opponents, silencing dissent, and amassing untold wealth with his wife, Imelda. But as the country’s economy buckled, the Filipino people pushed back through protests, l ... Show More
46m 3s
Sep 29
Imelda Marcos: The First Lady of Excess Part 1 | 180
Imelda Marcos - the former beauty queen turned First Lady of the Philippines – was as famous for her 1,000 pairs of shoes and jawbreaker-sized diamonds as she was infamous for the fortune that she and her husband, President Ferdinand Marcos, stole from their country. While Imelda ... Show More
46m 47s
Sep 22
Andrew Caspersen: Rich People Problems | 178
Andrew Caspersen seemed to have it all: Ivy League credentials, athletic talent and a trust fund that fueled his reputation as a rising star in finance. But behind his polished image was a spiral of drinking, gambling, and reckless bets on the stock market. Soon, his risky trades ... Show More
53m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 16
Bridget Read (on multilevel marketing)
Bridget Read (Little Bosses Everywhere: How the Pyramid Scheme Shaped America) is a features writer, journalist, and author. Bridget joins the Armchair Expert to discuss working as a young writer at Vogue during the blog boom, how door-to-door salesmen evolved into multi-level ma ... Show More
2h 7m
Jun 2021
Episode 35: Rebecca - Once Upon a Biz - Part 1
Rebecca, the AntiMLM force behind the IG account "Once Upon a Biz", spent 10 years of her life in the cult of Amway. While under their spell, she found herself slowly changing and shifting not only her attitude and focus, but her religious and political views as well. She met her ... Show More
1h 7m
Jun 2021
Episode 36: Rebecca - Once Upon a Biz - Part 2
In the conclusion of Rebecca's story, we get a bit deeper into the cult aspects and what she started to see and experience. While her new life as a mom was keeping her busy, and her husband's new career kept him away from the weekly team meetings, things with Amway began to unrav ... Show More
1h 2m
Aug 2024
How Podcasting Can Grow Your Business and Increase Revenue – with Hala Taha
Ever wondered how podcasting can help you grow your business? Just ask Hala Taha, the host of the Young and Profiting (YAP) podcast and the founder of YAP Media Network and YAP Media, who knows all the podcasting secrets that’ll help you get big. Hala aka the Podcast Princess sha ... Show More
14m 30s
Jun 2024
This is Not a Pyramid Scheme
Every year, thousands of Americans lose money participating in multi-level marketing (MLM). So, last year, when a new business idea that promised to correct MLM's sins bubbled up on Instagram and TikTok, a lot of people hopped off the MLM train, and onto this new one, lured by th ... Show More
37m 40s
Jan 2024
#641: Podcasting Secrets & Strategies For Dominating The Charts with Hala Taha, Founder Of YAP Media
How LinkedIn can elevate your podcast and your business with Hala Taha. If you're listening to the Online Marketing Made Easy show, I'm guessing you're a fan of podcasts, right? If you've ever thought about starting a podcast or wanted to leverage LinkedIn to grow your podcast an ... Show More
43m 58s
Jun 2025
23andMe's Fatal Flaw | Great Expectorations | 1
When Silicon Valley power-player Anne Wojcicki sees gold in genetics, she forms 23andMe. She wants to bring genetic testing to the masses. But behind the hype and celebrity endorsements, can she build a company that’s selling more than just an expensive novelty product? Be the fi ... Show More
36m 42s
Oct 2024
Episode 267 : Dani Rodriguez
If you're looking for more Amway podcast episodes, do I have a treat for you! Not only are we talking to Dani Rodriguez about her story, but she's also the host of the Exes and Tea Podcast which tells almost exclusively Amway stories! In our chat we discuss her journey in and out ... Show More
1h 26m
Nov 2022
Hala Taha: How I Built A Personal Brand And Massive Following On LinkedIn and YAP Podcast (Creative Counsel Podcast)
The podcast world has blown up over the past decade, so the rules for podcasting have changed rapidly and significantly. How can a strong personal brand and social media presence improve your chances of gaining a large podcast following? Good news - The Podcast Princess has the a ... Show More
56m 29s
Mar 2021
Episode 10: Ryan McKnight - Mormonism and Multi-Level Marketing Part 2
After tackling topics like cultural moray, the role of women in the LDS faith, and why Utah is rife with MLM's in part one, Ryan and I dive into "Big Pyramid", Mitt Romney's connections to MLM, the affinity fraud of Tahitian Noni Juice, the obsession of outrageous health claims a ... Show More
1h 12m