Sponsor help for a local teen business?

What do I do with my old Amway and N21 Business Support Material?

• I used to be an Amway Independent Business Owner in Netherlands-Belgium 2004-2006 and Jakarta, Indonesia 2006-2007. (It's the same company as Quixtar in North America.) I am no longer interested in continuing the business due to upline abuse and personal issues, and am my membership should have expired for quite some time now. I still have a stack of Amway starter packs, Network TwentyOne tapes and CDs, and product literature that I don't want. They would be very useful to an IBO who is actively building the business, but I understand that both Amway and Network TwentyOne are very strict as to where their IBO's get materials from, and I wouldn't want to render anyone guilty of "crosslining". I am not talking to my former sponsor, because he has put me in danger and I simply do not want to see him again. When I try to do business with my upline Emerald, they always refer me back to my sponsor because the system says so. I do not tell them about my sponsor's misbehaviour because he is still a relative of mine and I do not want to ruin his reputation or shake the sponsor line's equilibrium. The only upline I have contact with now is my upline Executive Diamond in Jakarta, but they're too busy travelling or doing business with bigger IBO's because my "business" simply isn't big enough to qualify for consultation with them. As friends we have a good relationship, but when it comes to business they seem to have these subtle hints to make me feel guilty for not continuing the business. They are quite a senior couple, and I am much younger than they are; in our culture it is rather rude to trouble respected older people--especially those with prestigious achievements--with junk like old tapes and books. Despite all this, I am leaving the business on good terms and still have much respect for both Amway and Network TwentyOne. I still genuinely think that they are excellent companies that benefit the right people. The reason why I do not want to associate with them anymore is simply because of the damage some independent business owners did to me, not because of the company. What should I do with my old stuff? I'd hate to waste them because they're really good material that would bless someone. Is there any way I could give these away to someone who would benefit from them without violating company guidelines? Or, since Amway boasts in extravagant money-back guarantees, do they by any chance have any buy back schemes for product literature and unused starter packs? Or is there a way to talk to my former upline Diamond without being perceived as disrespectful to them? Or worst comes to worst, is there an underground place on the internet to offer them for sale (or even give them away for free, just ask reimbursement for shipping costs), where my privacy is protected? There are tens of thousands of Amway IBO's in Indonesia, surely there are some struggling ones looking for a bargain... and I have some precious material in mint condition to help them! Thank you so much!

• Answer:

  I'm going to be brutally blunt: The best way to bless someone in relation to Amway is to never bring it up with them. The instant I have a friend try to sell me Amway (or any other of the MLM products), I know they're not really my friend. They see me as a source of easy income. I heartily endorse your leaving the organisation. As to your materials, I would politely suggest that you destroy, and then dispose of them in a manner consistent with environmental standards. Best of luck.