by Daniel Euergetes,
Updated: February 22, 2013
| Rating: |   (1 / 5) |
In my Empower Network Review, I pose the question, “Is Empower Network for you?” Indeed it is for some folks, but NOT for others. Which are you?
I am writing an overview on the popular company called Empower Network. I have found many colorful articles on this company out on the web, and I would like to share my take on it all. I went into it myself but found that I really didn’t have the “right stuff” to make this business work for me, but perhaps you have what it takes.
I admit. I’m one of those “Wussies.” Not such a bad name for simply wanting to be ethical and treat people like human beings and not numbers.
PLUS…
After I go through the overview, I would like to discuss what alternatives we who don’t quite fit into a place like EN have, because they’re out there.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
The Company
Empower Network was created by David Wood and David Sharpe. The site was launched on October 31, 2011.
They have had MANY problems with merchant accounts that has hindered their early growth but after awhile they found a work-around for all the problems and today they are a thriving and VERY profitable and attractive business.
David Wood, was purportedly a homeless man living out of a van with his wife. David Sharpe is said to have been a former alcoholic that worked as a construction laborer. [There are unconfirmed reports that living in this van was entirely voluntary and not due to impoverishment.]
Both these individuals learned about online business, both in affiliate marketing and MLM, which are incorporated into the present platform today. Having perfected their business model they began making 5- and then 6-figure incomes and the rest is history.
PROS & CONS
What I Like
- There are great, well-meaning individuals in EN
- Fast-growing
- Nice-looking blogs
What I Don’t Like
- Shaming members into action
- Too many up-sells for my comfort
- Very high accumulation of negative reports, reviews, etc
- Stresses quantity over quality
- Encourages selfish marketing mentality
- Advertising is aggressive and misleading
- In my opinion, not a true MLM
- Further, Has no real products, entirely self-poromoting.
- This is a Ponzi scheme, and is commonly known to be so.
WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?
If you are squeamish about aggressively driving people into a program like this, this will not work for you. The great thing about the Program is that it provides everything you need to persuade folks to, not only join, but to go “all out.” This includes the training and social pressure to do this.
Expect to meet up with some up-sells, but these are necessary to put members who come into the program to unfair advantages above those who don’t. With bare minimum and even some of the up-sells, you won’t stand much of a chance getting anywhere. The program is designed to work best when the all the offerings have been purchased and used. Coming into Empower Network and settling for the small introductory stuff is absolutely not acceptable. If you join, you need to follow through. Else, you will be shamed until you either leave the program or get hopping with the products offered. Before you join, make sure you have over $5,000 to spend into it.
This is for folks that are out there to aggressively rake in the cash. Those who do not put forth this effort are readily called “Wussies,” even more so not going “all in.” It is the shaming aspect that gets people on their feet and finally on their toes in sprint mode. Here, it’s all about making money and learning how to get your down-line making money for themselves, for you don’t if they don’t. Your superiors will nudge you along and coach you. You are not in it to play around. They mean business and so should YOU!
The Uniqueness of Empower Network
Who says you need money to make money? At Empower Network, you do just the opposite. You really don’t even have to use your imagination. EN’s system is so refined, it does it for you. All you do is promote EN on the blog you purchase upon joining up. Yes, there is an up front cost for the training materials you will need and this is Empower Network’s only products. How’s that for creating something from nothing? It is amazing!
There is no need to fool with products outside of the training of how to run an Empower Network business. Anything other than these are a waste of time and in order to streamline your success, they are the only products included and are available to members. The products you will be selling are the training modules that teach you how to bring in new recruits and persuade them to purchase the products as well. These products will take you to exotic places! An example of the kind of products you get is below – the training that comes with the Blogging Package…
Here you have the best of both worlds. You get plenty of support but if you underachieve, you will be coached. Empower Network has found that the best way to do this is by getting you to sit on a tack once in a while to get you motivated and in line. They will (and it is encouraged) publicly make you look like a fool if you don’t conform to the program, so you best to it.
HOW DO YOU GET PAID?
You get $100% on your commissions! Restrictions Apply – Read Below…
- Commissions only cost an 8% Fee for each commission! This is a little price to pay for the outstanding service.
- Built-in gratuity includes giving up your 2nd, 4th and 6th sale PLUS every 5th sale YOU make after that forever to your sponsor. As in any game of life, you don’t always Pass Go!
- You don’t get ANYTHING on any pass-up sales. (In other words, no matching!)
Neucopia: A Turbo Feature Added to Empower Network
$49.95 to join… $269.95 To be “ALL-IN” for a measly $169.95 Monthly. THAT’S IT!!! Straight forward, Simple, No Extra FEES ever! With Neucopia, you pass up your first 2 sales only and going forward, you are fully qualified for life. In Empower Network, Neucopia is the WAY to go! Be the first to market with Neucopia since only 1,000 have already joined.T
COST TO JOIN:
- Blog: $25/month
- Affiliate Fee: $20/mo
- Premier Membership: $100/mo
- $500 one time
- $1,000 one time
- $3,500 one time (And get told repeatedly you’re a “Wussy” if you don’t buy the $500, $1,000 AND $3,500 right away.) = $5,145 to get started at the TOP!
TRAINING:
The Products
For a small fee, Empower Network provides a ready-built blog for every member complete with hosting, domain name, all necessary plugins and pre-loaded with powerful Empower Network advertising and monetization. Be one of tens of thousands to rent one of these proven sites! You are given the freedom to add your own posts, your photograph and more EN banners to get it lit up like a Christmas tree! All this for one low monthly price!
One more item of interest… Though the overall format of the site is proven to work as it is and cannot be changed, you CAN change the background color if you desire!
The basic membership which is $25 will also give you a fast start training area that will give you audios on how to set-up your e-wallet, getting started with your blog, and instructions about when to write a blog post on your new blog.
Hidden Charges? Not Mentioned Anywhere, So Here They Are:
- Merchant account charge of $19.95 when you start.
- $19.95 monthly charge to keep your merchant account.
- You need your own merchant account because unfortunately, EN can’t get any and is working on this.
- Transferring of money comes with small fees. (ex: a $25 commission will net you about $22.)
- Any commissions you make is subject to these ity-bity fees.
The Marketing System Funnel
Empower Network’s renowned Marketing System Funnel does have a LOT of ‘up-sells’, this is necessary so that they can maximize your up-front payout. Only people who are out to do some serious marketing do not complain about these up-sells and regard them “as necessary.” Dave Wood or David Sharpe knows what’s good for you and will tell you to ‘Go All In’ at around $3500, or you are a “WUSSIE”….
How else are you going to get off your duff???
The Inner Circle Upgrade
This gem comes with a price tag of only $125 auto-ship and $19.95/mo. to help defer costs. Worth it! (at least to the most serious.) This give you access to several audio training and you will also get the privilege of promoting these to your down-line. Hence you will receive commissions less the fees and pass-ups described above. Easy sales!
To Recap
You have the $25 level, and the $100 level, so as far as the residuals go, you will pay $125+$19.95, but you will now be able to make $125 in residuals minus the merchant fees. You have the Empower Network-based training that should take you a long way if you are the go-getter type. Empower Network will help you get the massive numbers you are looking for and is specially-formulated to do just that for thick-skinned performers!
Now, how cool is that?
The Up-sells…
Let’s take a closer look at what you get when you purchase all the up-sells, heh?
15k Formula ($1500 to buy) A set of eight videos that train you how to sell, drive traffic and generate leads to Empower Network. Reported to be a great video course and one that needs to be taking up space on every EN member’s dusty bookshelf!
Take a virtual trip to Costa Rica in the “Costa Rica Intensive” which will cost you a mere $500. This is more of the same great stuff as above but in happening in tropical Costa Rica.
No Empower Network Membership is complete without the Costa Rica Masters Retreat which is a $3500 cost. Book a trip to a mastermind session with David Wood and David Sharpe at the elegant Casa de Woods Costa Rica There you will also be with thousands of other people that have also booked the trip looking to monetize their memberships!
VERDICT:
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Hmm…
This may be for folks that want the numbers but are not so concerned with quality. I personally found Empower Network to be a little too aggressive with its advertising and that it is also misleading. Many people in there have no issues with that though.
It does put a sour taste in people’s mouths that care more for the customer than to elect her as a number.
And to make it even more of a bad taste, they call you names and call you a wussie and suck if you don’t go ‘All In’.
Marketing is marketing, and these guys know how to do it and build teams FAST.
The way it’s done is a little beyond my tastes and is a little too black hat for me. I’m one of those wussies I guess LOL!
Here is the bottom line
Some pyramids are not bad. Take the ones at Giza, for example. They’ve withstood the test of time. They are well-built systems though nobody alive inhabits them now except the curious.
Are there alternatives to Empower Network?
A Resounding YES…
Now in my personal opinion is there a better program for a new person to get started and make money with, that is more transparent, more professional, pleasingly-aesthetic, has a FAR better training program, and the excellent ethics are unmistakable. I, myself, choose to be involved ONLY in memberships that provide real value and do not employ “black hat” methods. In my opinion, EN does little more than give lots of folks a very bad taste about what online business is all about. Are there any programs that do more than just teach you how to give out hot air sandwiches and create money out of thin air ROI?
YES…
What is that Program you ask?
A membership having about 25,000 less in its community, (EN sports approx. 70,000 at the time of this writing) check out my Review on Wealthy Affiliate.
You may get the numbers in EN, but at WA, quality shines more and which is more important?
I am a wussy, or so the folks at EN told me. I didn’t want to join all of their programs and I was absolutely ridiculed by my sponsor and also the others within that “circle”.
$25 was just the start of the buying at Empower Network. This lead to another $19 and change payment per month, and then I was pushed to buy the inner circle, another $100 per month…then all the other crap products within Empower Network.
When I quit I was actually blocked on Facebook from my sponsored, but not before they gave me a piece of their mind, called me “worthless” and belittled me to the point of crying.
This is the biggest scam I have come across in my ventures online Daniel and I thank you for exposing this group of a-holes to others. I am sick of getting ripped off and I hope one day I can really find something that is legit.
I am going to check out Wealthy Afiliate as per your recommendations. I hope that is the real thing.
Also, I want to warn anyone else thinking of joining Empower Network. Stay as far away from this as you can, the blog they give you sucks and it doesn’t rank and you dont’ even own it. Then the training they give is on promoting empower and some motivational hype (you are going to be a billionaire one day blah blah blah).
If you like wasting money and being belittled, Empower is the best way to do this.
I’m sorry I didn’t get back with you right away. My plate is very full right now and I totally missed your comment. I approved it today and I do want to assure you that Wealthy Affiliate is the real deal. There is no name-calling on there and it is not tolerated.
Empower Network is a very sad scenario. It is shameful that they do the name-calling and why this institution remains so popular is a mystery to me. It is psychological and this is how they get people hooked – mainly through reciprocation and most definitely in getting people feeling left-out – like in your case.
Dump ’em! It’s all I can say. That is a very poor excuse for a stupid blog they “give” you. One thing is for sure, this is no training program and it’s training you need, not that hog-wash. I hope you’ve checked out WA by now. I see you’ve left this to me back in June. If you need any assistance from me in any way, please contact me or reply here. I’d be very glad to help you out. Personal experience with WA is “superior.” There is nothing that beats WA for the training you get there. You will definitely get your money’s worth there and the support to back you.
Kindly,
Daniel
Very good review of the Empower Network scam my friend…your passion is palpable. This post reminds me of what #miketyson said about #dennisrodman…it’s treason! The EN is hurting people and the people who are being hurt don’t even know it because they have so much hope in the dream and the EN is so skilled at marketing the dream.
The reviews I’ve done for Empower Network entailed a LOT of work researching what others who have been through it, defining what pyramid schemes are and how they are running things. I just read today a blog about how the author had promoted the company and stopped because evidently, members are not allowed to promote anything other than EN on EN-issued blogs. I’ve seen the stipulations myself under their TOS, I believe, if my memory serves me, section 5.2-5 give or take.
Yet, the author has noted that those in the top ten positions in there are doing so without incident. He complains that EN is more like employment because you are told what you can put on the blogs, and what you cannot.
Another thing I noticed in the TOS is the fact that affiliates are under no obligation to purchase any of the upsells, yet they cannot promote them without doing so and on the social convention end of things, will get shamed for not doing so by aggressive members on there.
You are correct. People are getting lured in by the dream factor and then get hooked once inside.
There are some folks going around and reporting EN YouTube videos to YouTube, which then commences to shut them down. One of the owners is seeking damages and lawsuits against some of the folks that are so reporting to YouTube. Happy this is being done! Not for the sake of ruining these folks’ hard work, but that it acts as a battering ram against the stronghold of EN itself.
Thanks for posting to my site 🙂
Daniel