That Amway Friend

“I’d like to talk to you about an opportunity for like minded people”

Each week we are tasked to find 5 new people to interview for the startup. This is in order to make sure that you in touch with what users and haters, have to say about the product- and you aren’t just building on your own bias.

If this was in South Africa, it would be super easy. However this is America! I have no idea where to randomly, and consistently happen upon startup and small business owners. And I need to find 5 at a time? Every week?

I recall a point when I decided to join the network marketing game! I sipped the Amway kool-aid and I could see myself becoming a diamond member earning $150 000 of passive income a year.

BUT first I had to get people to join under my team. I had to make a list of all the people in my phone book and start sending them texts to meet for coffee to discuss “an opportunity that I found and wanted to share with like minded people.” If anyone ever uses that sequence of words in a sentence, I can bet you a Benjamin Franklin that person is in a network marketing business. And they have identified you as someone who can get them to an early retirement.

I remember I called a few friends to an coffee date under these ambiguous circumstances. When they found what was going on, they were beyond angry with me. I even had some friends that hid from me and ignored my messages!

And I feel that’s whats going to happen here with all these user interviews! My new friends are going to end up disinviting me to outings because I show up and pepper the other guests with questions.

Anyway, can we talk?