| Comment Number: | 522418-06849 |
| Received: | 7/7/2006 5:59:56 PM |
| Organization: | Xango, LLC |
| Commenter: | Cliff Rosang |
| State: | WA |
| Subject: | Business Opportunity Rule |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 437 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
I am writing this letter because I am concerned about the proposed Business Opportunity Rule R511993. My name is Cliff Rosang. I have spent 18 years in the network marketing business. I entered this business because my seasonal income (commercial fishing) was threatened, and has since been declining to a point where I can no longer meet my expenses whatsoever. The thought of training for another career is inconceivable - since I am 56 years old and have only Grade 7 education. Thus, I entered the network marketing industry. It was perfect for me - minimal start up fees, I could be my own boss, and I did not need training from an institution to begin. I am now making a full time income and do not have to rely on the fishing industry at all. I can support my wife and children while working from home and spend as much time with my children as I so choose. Why would anyone want to threaten an industry that allows for family togetherness? I have become a confident public speaker as I have given many presentations over the years. My self-esteem has risen to a healthy height because people have responded positively to my products and my presentation of them. I feel proud that I have built my own business from scratch. I feel the FTC's mission will threaten legitimate direct selling and multi-level marketing companies. I appreciate your efforts in trying to protect the consumer, as there are fraudulent groups circulating, however your proposed methods will have devastating effects on those who legitimately run their own businesses. The seven-day waiting perieod casts the direct selling plan in a negative light. It causes record keeping and administrative problems, unnecessary delays, and is simply impractical. Also, the impracticality of finding the "10 nearest existing sales people" harbors privacy and safety issues, not to mention possible corporate liability for ID theft. Please consider the above points I have made. I am a human being who has found a legitimate fulfilling business - why threaten this greatest form of the American Dream.