Part 4: Understanding the Heart Behind MLM Loyalty
At this point in the series, you might be wondering: If MLMs are so problematic… why do so many people love them? Why do they defend them so fiercely?
It’s a fair question. And the answer isn’t because people are ignorant or bad. It’s because MLMs are deeply emotional, vividly persuasive, and expertly marketed to feel empowering—especially to women, moms, and people looking for a flexible way to provide for their families.
Let’s look at some of the most common defenses you’ll hear—and the deeper longings behind them.
“But it’s my business!”
MLMs often use language like:
“Be your own boss.”
“You’re a CEO now.”
“Build your empire.”
And it feels true. You’re ordering inventory, scheduling posts, mentoring your team, tracking progress... it can feel empowering and legitimate.
But here’s the reality: in most MLMs, you don’t own the product, control the pricing, or hold equity in the company. Your account can usually be terminated at any time, for any reason. That’s not ownership—that’s participation under someone else’s brand.
💡 That doesn’t mean your work is worthless! But it’s worth asking: Is the empowerment I feel real, or is it cleverly marketed to me?
“Other companies are profit-driven too!”
It’s true: Most businesses exist to make money.
CEOs earn more than employees.
Salespeople earn commissions.
Affiliate marketers get paid for sharing links.
Capitalism isn’t inherently evil. So what makes MLMs different?
Here’s a quick contrast:
MLMs combine product sales + recruitment in a way that relies heavily on personal networks and emotional pressure.
From the outside, it looks like a typical business model—but behind the scenes, it often traps more than it frees.
“But I know someone who’s doing great!”
You probably do. There are real people making real money in MLMs!
But statistically, that’s the exception, not the rule.
According to FTC data and other studies, over 99% of MLM participants lose money or make nothing after expenses.
The ones making a profit are usually those who got in early or who recruit constantly.
So yes, once again —there are success stories—but they don’t cancel out the larger trend. And if success is only available to a tiny sliver of people, that doesn’t resemble (in my opinion) a fair or biblical system.
“But I just love the products!”
I remember when I was 19, I got pulled into a popular health/diet MLM.
I didn’t want to sell it—I just wanted to try the products.
I followed the program closely and lost a significant amount of weight.
This particular company made enthusiastic claims about how their ingredients were perfectly balanced to give energy and stabilize blood sugar. And to be honest. I think they did a good job. I felt pretty good, and lost the weight.
Years later, (after I gained it all back plus some) I recalled how well it had worked and decided to recreate the same diet pattern they used on that program but this time with non MLM alternatives: clean organic protein shakes from Amazon, tea from Walmart, almonds from Aldi. The result?
The exact same outcome.
I realized then: it wasn’t the product.
It was the routine.
This doesn’t mean the product was “bad”- I honestly still believe it was a good product! —it just wasn’t unique in the way the company led me to believe.
That experience taught me to question whether I was being sold a one-off product that was better than any others … or just great marketing.
Loving a product and profiting from it isn’t exclusive to MLMs. Small business owners, affiliate marketers, and influencers all wrestle with that tension. But MLMs amplify it in unique ways that make the overlap even harder to untangle. In MLMs, you’re often both the customer and the salesperson, with your own purchases tied to eligibility for commissions or status. New product launches aren’t just about consumer excitement—they’re often strategic business tools to generate sales or recruit new team members. On top of that, your personal identity becomes deeply tied to the brand, especially when you’re encouraged to make it part of your lifestyle and story. And unlike many traditional sales roles, MLMs often involve community-wide training and language that coach you to present everything with contagious excitement.
All of this makes it even harder—for both the seller and the buyer—to discern whether enthusiasm is coming from genuine affection or business incentive.
It’s not inherently manipulative, but it is murky. And that’s worth pausing to consider.
“But I feel like I belong.”
This is perhaps the deepest and most tender reason.
MLMs are often wrapped in community. They offer encouragement, goal-setting, recognition, prayer groups, and sisterhood. They meet a very real need for connection and purpose—especially for women who feel isolated, unseen, or undervalued in their daily life.
That belonging is powerful. And for many, it’s hard to walk away because it means walking away from that support.
But here’s the thing: community is beautiful—but it should never be conditional. If you have to hit a sales quota to stay “in,” if friendship starts to feel like a transaction, if leaving the company means losing your people… that’s not real community. That’s a high-cost imitation of the Kingdom.
So why do people defend MLMs? Because they’re not just selling a product. They’re selling identity, purpose, hope, and belonging.
And those are things our hearts are wired for.
If you’ve felt drawn to an MLM—or you’re in one right now—this isn’t an attack. This is a hand on your shoulder, saying, I see the good you’re craving. And you don’t have to chase it through a business model that asks you to compromise your integrity or relationships.
Coming Up Next:
In the final post, Part 5, we’ll talk about how to move forward—whether you’re in an MLM, leaving one, or trying to love someone who’s deeply involved. We’ll cover discernment, healing, boundaries, and hope.
