| Comment Number: | 522418-06892 |
| Received: | 7/7/2006 9:21:57 PM |
| Organization: | Herbalife Independent Distributor |
| Commenter: | Leigh Austin |
| State: | CA |
| Subject: | Business Opportunity Rule |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 437 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
I am writing to express my concerns with the FTC's proposed Business Opportunity Rule I have been an Herbalife Independent Distributor for 24 years, since l982. I became a distributor after I used the products and had energy and weight loss results. My friends and family were impressed with the changes they saw in me and wanted some products themselves. I saw this as the kind of business opportunity I was looking for. I actually hoped to make enough to cover my house payment and groceries, but instead my business grew and I developed a wonderful team worldwide and this became my full time career. I am proud to have helped so many people improve their health or financial situations. I do not know what my life would have been like without Herbalife. It has been my sole income for 24 years. I raised my family, put one daughter through college, and another daughter works with me in Herbalife as her sole income. The training we have received, and the personal growth which I have received and learned how to pass on to others, has added a new dimension to my life. I cannot imagine being able to continue doing business under the burden of the provisions in the FTC proposed rule. I would be extremely uncomfortable with providing names and contact information of ten "prior purchasers who live closest to the prospective purchaser." I know from experience that when contacted, some would tell the prospect they would be at a disadvantage to join MY team, they should join and work with someone local (them.) Others would be annoyed at being contacted. If I personally were exposed to all the negativity this could prompt, I would not have joined, and not have traveled the world, would have missed a wonderful life opportunity. I am very much in support of FTC’s goal of preventing consumer fraud, and will applaud any proposal that is made which actually stops the bad guys while letting us legitimate direct sellers get on with our business in a reasonable manner.