Comment Number: 522418-05679
Received: 7/3/2006 12:13:56 AM
Organization: QUIXAR/ WORLDWIDE DREAMBUILDERS
Commenter: JAMES COX
State: CA
Subject: Business Opportunity Rule
Title: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
CFR Citation: 16 CFR Part 437
No Attachments

Comments:

LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THAT WE APPRECIATE ANY EFFORT TO CLEAN UP THIS INDUSTRY. WE HAVE DEALT WITH BOGUS ENTERPRISES FOR MANY YEARS AND WELCOME ATTEMPTS TO IMPROVE THINGS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN INDEPENDENT BUSINESS OWNERS, (IBO'S), WITH AMWAY AND LATER WITH QUIXTAR SINCE 1980. ALTHOUGH NOT RICH, MY FAMILY HAS ENJOYED A NICE SECOND INCOME FROM OUR BUSINESS. OUR WHOLE FAMILY HAS GREATLY BENEFITED FROM THE PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SUGGESTED BY WORLDWIDE DREAMBUILDERS, (WWDB). WHEN WE REGISTERED IN THE BUSINESS WE WERE GIVEN AMPLE INFORMATION AND PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE A DECISION, ABOUT 2 WEEKS, AS I RECALL. WE HAVE FOLLOWED THIS SAME PROCESS WITH ALL THAT WE HAVE REGISTERED SINCE THAT TIME. WWDB, AS AN ORGANIZATION, ENCOURAGES PROSPECTS TO SEE THE BUSINESS PLAN PRESENTED A SECOND TIME BEFORE MAKING A DECISION. WE EVEN CALL SOME MEETINGS SECOND LOOK MEETINGS. MY OWN EXPERIENCE HAS LED ME TO REGISTER ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE A VERY GOOD IDEA OF THE BENEFITS OF THE BUSINESS. SINCE WE ARE HOPING TO ESTABLISH VERY LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM, IT WOULD BE POINTLESS TO TRY TO SELL MEMBERSHIPS TO UNSUSPECTING PROSPECTS. AND SINCE THE BULK OF THE PROFIT IN THE BUSINESS IS THE RESULT OF SATISFIED CUSTOMERS AND IBO'S MAKING REPEATED PURCHASES, THERE IS NO POINT IN MAKING MISLEADING CLAIMS ABOUT THE PRODUCTS. OUR PROSPECTS ARE TOLD THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE MONEY, EFFORT AND TIME WILL BE REQUIRED. THEY ARE TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT A GET RICH QUICK PLAN. THEY ARE EVEN GIVEN A 2 TO 5 YEAR PLAN WHEN THE BUSINESS PLAN IS PRESENTED. THEY ARE GUARANTEED NOTHING. WE ADVISE PROSPECTS THAT THEY CAN GET A GOOD START TOWARD BUILDING A LARGE BUSINESS IF THEY ARE WILLING TO INVEST ABOUT $200, MOST OF WHICH IS REFUNDABLE, TO GET THEIR BUSINESS STARTED. A PORTION OF THAT IS THE COST OF REGISTRATION WITH QUIXTAR. ANOTHER PORTION GOES TO PURCHASING SOME OF THE CONSUMABLE PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FROM QUIXTAR. THE REMAINDER IS FOR BUSINESS SUPPORT MATERIALS. WE SUGGEST THAT AMOUNT ONLY TO PEOPLE WHO TELL US THAT THEY WANT TO BUILD A LARGE BUSINESS. THOSE WHO WANT A SMALL BUSINESS ARE NOT ENCOURAGED TO INVEST IN THE BUSINESS SUPPORT MATERIALS. AS TO THE PROPOSAL FOR A 7 DAY WAITING PERIOD: MOST OF THE PEOPLE WE HAVE REGISTERED HAVE TAKEN LONGER THAN THAT. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THOSE WHO WANT TO REGISTER EARLIER THAN 7 DAYS SHOULD HAVE TO WAIT, ASSUMING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY INFORMED ABOUT THE BUSINESS. AS TO PROVIDING REFERENCES: MOST PEOPLE THAT I HAVE DEALT WITH WOULD NOT PUT MUCH CREDIBILITY WITH A LIST OF REFERENCES PROVIDED TO THEM BY ME. ALMOST EVERYONE CHECKS WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES TO SEE WHAT THEY THINK. MY OWN CREDIBILITY IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT TO THEM THAN THAT OF SOME STRANGER. THE LOGISTICS OF SUCH A REFERENCE SYSTEM WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE. I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT WANT TO BE ON SUCH A LIST. WE ARE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE IN OUR DOWNLINE BUT THERE WOULD BE NO BENEFIT TO MY SPENDING TIME TRYING TO CONVINCE A STRANGER TO GET INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S BUSINESS. AS TO THE LITIGATION LIST: I AM AN INDEPENDENT BUSINESS OWNER AND AS LONG AS MY BUSINESS IS HONEST AND LEGAL I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE LINKED TO A LIST OF SUCH LITIGATION, SOME OF WHICH PROBABLY HAS NO MERIT. MY BUSINESS STANDS ON MY PERFORMANCE AS A BUSINESSMAN. AS TO FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: IT APPEARS THAT THE INFORMATION IN THE SA4400 FORM THAT IS GIVEN TO PROSPECTS ALREADY PAINTS A REALISTIC PICTURE OF INCOME POTENTIAL. AS TO FINANCIAL SUBSTANTIATION: WHEN ASKED, I TELL PROSPECTS THAT I HAVE NOT GOTTEN RICH FROM THE BUSINESS BUT THAT IT HAS BEEN WORTH MY WHILE TO DO IT. NO SPECIFIC $ AMOUNTS ARE GIVEN. MY INCOME IS BETWEEN ME AND THE IRS, (AND THE WIFE... AND THE KIDS WHEN THEY WANT TO BORROW MONEY). THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. IT IS MY HOPE THAT MY COMMENTS WILL ASSIST YOU IN FORMULATING A GOOD LAW.