AMAZON SHOCKS THE WORLD WITH EXPOSE DOCUMENTARY, "LULARICH."

I know an MLM when I see it. I smell it a mile away. Having been raised in a family hijacked by Arbonne. Our matriarch had been consumed by selling this supposed green, subpar product. Everything I used came off her inventory shelves. It was awful. It barely worked. Yet, I wasn't allowed to buy my own makeup, skincare, or shampoo. All the products I bought from the store I had to hide. Eventually, my family's matriarch was forced to declare bankruptcy. Our family home was foreclosed on, and she became homeless. So much for the supposed wealth that would save our family.

Because of this, I dedicate my work to exposing the truth behind closed doors including emotional abuse and the damage caused by scams, especially MLMs. I see them everywhere. It's difficult to see through the fancy Mercedes and lavish parties, but there were a lot of struggles and ugliness going on. MLMs ruin lives. They should be illegal. However, it gives me some level of comfort to see that people are making efforts to expose this corrupt business practice. Knowledge is the best weapon against these MLMs. We must all study up if we are to resist the false promises of wealth and independence. It's simply not true.

Thank you, Amazon, for the docuseries "LulaRich." It's a step in the right direction. The video below only scratches the surface. So, buckle up and prepare yourself for a very informative three hours with the in-depth docu-series as well.

Let me start my review with the story of my college reunion in 2017.

I don't think I need to explain the difficulties of budgeting for a recent college graduate, especially the classes of '08 and beyond. Drowning in student loan debt and struggling to kick start a proper career in my field, life after college has been downright impossible. Even in 2017 (nine years after graduation), life was hard. My husband and I were barely scraping by. We could barely afford the gas to visit our friends for our small reunion. All we wanted out of that weekend was to unwind and spend some time with old friends.

Much to my disappointment, that is not what happened. Under the guise of a "party night", our hostess took advantage of her captive audience to sick three separate MLM representatives on us. These companies included Mary and Martha , Plexus , and (you guessed it) LuLaRoe. We all grudgingly sat through sales pitch after sales pitch. Not only were useless, overprice products were thrown at us, but also the "opportunity" that came with joining their teams (aka drinking the Kool-Aid). The whole laughable night was a complete waste of time. With what money was I expected to make a single purpose. To this day, I wonder what was our hostess thinking?

Would it surprise you to know that she is currently involved with another MLM as we speak? Colorstreet Nails or what I call glorified nail stickers. I'll stick with my store-bought polish, thank you.

That was the first time I encountered the products of LuLaRoe: hideous, overpriced clothing. Basic tops and leggings with noisy prints. I'm a Goodwill shopper myself, but I still have a sense of style, which is on the vintage side. LuLaRoe is not at all my idea of fashion, especially for the prices the representative was asking. Simply put, ew. Out of spite, I refused to cooperate or spend a dime on a single thing that night. Somehow, I still walked away with some free, second-hand legging. Buttery soft? Perfect fit? I am happy to say, not really.

So, why do I resent MLMs so deeply? How can I recognize one from a mile away? Long story short, the Arbonne MLM ruined my life and several more tried since ( Primerica , Optavia , and Park Lane). It's horrifying to think how many MLMs I've encountered throughout my adult years. They're like weeds. Try to take out one, and several more spring up in its place. They're infecting our society, and they must be stopped.

Pyramid schemes are illegal. Why aren't MLMs? They're the same damn thing. What will it take to shut down these glorified scammers and cult leaders?

The story of LuLaRich begins with the opening interview with founders DeAnne and Mark Stidham. They set aside some time between the lawsuits launched against them to set the record straight and insist that LuLaRoe is no MLM. Sure... Let's see how that works out for them.

After a lifetime career behind several MLMs, DeAnne built an MLM that preyed exclusively on stay-at-home mothers because of the massive community around mothers. Each mother has their own online following and in-person social circle. In other words, she took advantage of the family institution to become a millionaire. Now, we see her in this docuseries desperately trying to save face. She tells a story of humble beginnings, hard work, and religious beliefs that led up to LuLaRoe. Apparently, she fails to realize that her inconsistent bio isn't enough justification to erase the stories of the countless lives she destroyed with her predatory business model.

DeAnne took her mediocre hobby making ugly, unflared maxi skirts; and somehow, that became a legging MLM. There are missing pieces there. She sings the song typical of any MLM, calling it a community and opportunity. Instead, she gave them literal garbage to sell while robbing them blind. $5,000 to sign up? No legitimate business charges their employees to work for it.

This couple is simply psychotic. They're not only founders of a predatory pyramid scheme (not just an MLM), but they're also cult leaders and those hideous clothes were the uniforms. DeAnne had the nerve to look down on a new employee wearing Chanel on her first day. How sick is that? Who are you, lady? You couldn't even lead your cult well. Now, the whole world knows what you are.

There are a lot of current MLMs that negatively affected my life. Though LuLaRoe, the Mormon sub-cult, was never one of them, I pray they officially go under. It's what I wish upon every MLM in existence, beginning with the horrifying Arbonne and beyond.

What's the best way to do that? Knowledge. Remain skeptical and do research. Suppress the lure that comes with the false promise of easy money. Money is never easy. Always remember this common phrase: "If it sounds too good to be true, it is."

In the end, LuLaRoe is a case of a subpar seamstress's (too narcissistic to accept her lack of talent) efforts to start her own cult. The higher you climb, the harder you fall. And fall she did. Now, one of the most popular streaming services in the world is taking the time to expose this rotten couple. The funniest moment in the series is that opening interview where they express their intention to manipulate the producers. They honestly believe this series would defend them. I nearly laughed out loud in my chair.

That's the only humorous moment in the four-episode season. As the many interviews of their victims play on, the mood snowballs from sad into downright sinister.

What's worse is their claim of faith, morality, and female empowerment. They represent none of these things. They are wolves in ugly and smelly sheep's clothing. How dare they? How dare even utter the name of my Lord and Savior. Fortunately, God was having none of this clumsy cult. Because they were caught. Their victims speak out, lies are exposed, and failures are broadcast for the world to see. It's a shame it couldn't happen before so many consultants endured financial ruin. Another feeling with which I am well acquainted.

There is no happy ending here. All we can hope is that this docuseries helps to prevent any further victimization, not just by LuLaRoe but all MLMs. Information is power here. The more we know, the less likely we are to fall prey to the luring lies.

Because the truth is there is no financial freedom in an MLM. There has been, and there never will be.