February Podcast Club Discussion: Multilevel Marketing

For February, we'll catch up on a playlist we missed, Multilevel Marketing. Looking forward to discussing this one with you all!

How It Works:

• We often follow the Podcast Brunch Club listening lists covering a different topic each month. Members can also make suggestions for future topics. Be sure to check the monthly Meetup event to see what we're listening to!
• Listening lists are composed of episode selections related to the month's theme and are pulled from a variety of shows. And we love to include some recommendations too!
• Finishing the recommended listening list is not a requirement to attend. Listen to as many or few of the suggested episodes as you would like.
• We will have an unstructured, informal discussion of the selections and the month's theme.

This Month's Topic:
Multilevel marketing – or MLMs – are often presented as a chance for independence, empowerment, and entrepreneurship. But beneath the glossy surface of branding and motivational slogans lies a scheme where very few win. What draws people in, and what keeps people signing up with new direct marketing companies even when they’ve been burned before? From NXIVM’s cult of self-improvement to LuLaRoe’s leggings boom, these stories pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to be in an MLM and how they function.
Beyond the MLM scams and scandals, these episodes reveal something deeper about our hunger for belonging, women’s labor in the modern economy, and the enduring pull of the American dream.

Here's a link to the Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1yg6XUKj9aMJQuyBkuoXwa?si=KmS6QQRQQCq83SQqGEyXrA&nd=1&dlsi=d1e26cb97d684b2f

The Playlist - Suggested Episodes:

• The Dream: “S1 E2: Women’s Work” (September 2018, 39 min)
  **NOTE: This episode is behind a paywall on Spotify, but you can listen to it on other platforms. (Here's a link to the episode on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s1-e2-womens-work/id1435743296?i=1000420324160)**
  A deep dive into how MLMs wrap themselves in the language of empowerment—while trapping millions of women in debt, hustle culture, and broken promises.
• The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe: “Ep 1: The Promise of LuLaRoe” (February 2022, 32 min)
  Inside the rise of a pastel-hued empire that promised sisterhood and success, but left a trail of lawsuits, debt, and disillusionment.
• Escaping NXIVM: “Episode 2: The Epiphany” (September 2018, 54 min)
  A firsthand account from inside a “self-help” organization that blurred the line between coaching and control—and how it mirrors the psychology behind MLM recruitment.
• Sounds Like A Cult: “The Cult of Multi-Level Marketing” (July 2021, 36 min)
  A smart, funny breakdown of why MLMs tick so many cult boxes—from love-bombing to toxic positivity—and why we keep falling for the pitch.

Bonus Episodes:

• Life After MLM: “Episode 73: Laurie Jenks Hale” (November 2021, 1 hr 53 min)
  A raw, personal story from a former top seller who reveals how deep the deception goes—and what it takes to rebuild life after the fall.
• The Dream: “Multi-Multi-Level-Marketing” (January 2025, 46 min)
  An exposé on how the MLM model has evolved, multiplied, and infiltrated everything from coaching to crypto.
• Sounds Like A Cult: “The Cult of Digital Marketing Scams (The New MLM)” (August 2025, 1 hr 6 min)
  A sharp look at how influencer culture and “passive income” pitches have rebranded MLM tactics for the Instagram age.