My name is Ty Tribble and I would like to welcome you to the MLM Blog. I launched this site in 2003 as a journal of my thoughts and opinions on Network Marketing.
While I write about many companies, I am only active in one, if you would like more information about myself or my business, visit my personal web site at TyTribble.com
If you have story ideas, comments or questions, you can contact me at ty (at) tribble (dot) org.
It was not a good news day for USANA Health Sciences. Check out the USANA Blog, part of the MLM Blog Network for all of the details including a new Wall Street Journal Article and some stock news.
SALT LAKE CITY, Jun 05, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (USNA) announced today that, consistent with its long-term objectives, the Company has signed a letter of intent to sell certain assets and inventory associated with the third-party contract manufacturing business at its Draper, Utah, facility. The terms of this transaction were not disclosed, however it is anticipated that the sale of this business will be effective sometime during the third quarter of 2007. Revenues from this business segment totaled $1.95 million in the first quarter of 2007.
The Company will retain the assets associated with manufacturing and packaging its Sense skin and beauty care products and will continue to manufacture these products at its current facility in Draper, Utah.
David A. Wentz, USANA's President said, "The long-term focus of USANA continues to be manufacturing and distributing our high-quality health and beauty products. The sale of our third-party contract manufacturing business will allow us to focus 100% of our efforts on growing and expanding our direct selling business."
About USANA
USANA
develops and manufactures high-quality nutritional, personal-care, and
weight management products that are sold directly to Preferred
Customers and Associates throughout the United States, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea,
Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
More information on USANA can be found at http://www.usanahealthsciences.com.
If you are looking for the latest update on USANA Health Sciences, visit the MLM Blog Network, USANA Blog.
The MLM Blog Network is looking for a USANA Associate to write about the products and the company. If you are interested or know a USANA Associate that would be interested, please send an email to mlmblog (at) mlmblog.net
Below is a snip from the latest Barry Minkow - Fraud Discovery Institute press release. I hope that what I am going to say does not come off as inconsiderate...if it does, I'm sorry.
There is not a person on earth that calls 200 leads per week and doesn't sponsor anyone. PERIOD. Those kinds of numbers will overcome any lack of skills. I don't even care what company you are with. Pick the company with the worst reputation, worst compensation and worst product line and you will still sponsor people when calling 200 leads a week.
SAN DIEGO/EWORLDWIRE/May 25, 2007 --- In the first of a two-part, new YouTube video release, the Fraud Discovery Institute details the story of Steve Estes, former Usana (NASDAQ: USNA) Associate (Number 2028731) from Temple, Georgia. Estes, who was born blind, became a Usana distributor in December of 2001 with hopes of attaining financial freedom and doing more than simply becoming a consumer of the company's product.
"Leaders in the company would work to persuade me that I was one associate sign-up away from true wealth," he said. "I funded minimum mandatory auto ship purchases in three business centers every year for four years before I cut back in year five to one business center."
Estes was committed to the opportunity presented to him: he poured his life savings, his time and went as far as taking out a second mortgage on his home to build up his Usana multi level marketing business. Despite regularly attending both regional and national conventions, purchasing multiple training tools and even leads - which required him to cold call potential associates at a rate of 200 per week - Estes was unable to sign-up distributors.
AN DIEGO/EWORLDWIRE/May 22, 2007 --- When Brian Mohr, owner of Nutrimart Nutrition - a retail vitamin store in San Diego, California - first received a letter from Usana Health Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: USNA) demanding that he contact Barry Minkow, co-founder of the Fraud Discovery Institute (FDI), and immediately insist that Minkow remove the YouTube video which compared the prices of Nutrimart's products to the Usana Health Pak 100 (TM), he was shocked. "Usana told me that my employee misrepresented to the public that the daily vitamin packs that we sell for substantially less than Usana's products were really not comparable at all because our products, although less expensive, were inferior," said Mohr.
Alex Shadunsky submits: USANA (USNA) is a health and beauty company. It produces, researches, and sells health and beauty products mostly through a Multi-Level Marketing operation (direct selling). Its growth has been phenomenal and it has been publicly traded since 1992.
Its stock has appreciated from $.60 a share in 2002 to a high of over $60 a share just within the past few months. In the past few months all sorts of negative news have come out, the biggest being that ex-convict Barry Minkow has published a 500 page negative report on USANA basically saying it's a fraud, and the SEC has opened up an investigation into USANA. There were also new class action lawsuits announced late last month.
SALT LAKE CITY, May 08, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (USNA) received notice of an official patent, to be released at 10:00am EST from the United States Patent & Trademark Office, for its exclusive self-preserving technology currently used in the company's Sense beautiful science(R) skin and personal care product line.
This patent covers USANA's formulation for manufacturing the Sense skin and personal care product line so that they are capable of maintaining an industry-standard, two-year shelf life without the need for added chemical preservatives. USANA's now-patented "self-preserving" technology utilizes a variety of proprietary blends of purifying botanicals, antioxidants and other active ingredients in protective liquid crystals to keep the product fresh naturally. The Sense line maintains its shelf life without the use of parabens or other chemical preservatives commonly used in other cosmetics and skin care products. Sense has utilized this self-preserving technology since September 2004 on a patent-pending basis, and it is the only skin care and beauty care product line in the world to implement this scientific advancement.
USANA scientists believe this patented process represents a significant innovation in the skin-care industry, as self-preserving technology will allow users' skin to receive all the benefits of pure, natural, and healthy ingredients without the use of chemicals or potentially harmful preservatives.
"This patent is the result of nearly 10 years of research and development by USANA scientists, and it is an important milestone in our company's drive to become a leader in the skin and beauty care industry. USANA's self-preserving technology has changed skin and beauty care in a meaningful way by allowing for the formulation of healthy, all-natural products," USANA President Dave Wentz said. "Our customers rely on USANA's high-quality products to enhance their quality of life. Just like our pharmaceutical-grade supplements, USANA's Sense skin and beauty care line offers the best - and healthiest - products available. Consumers can now enjoy healthier skin and the peace of mind that comes with safe, self-preserving technology that does not rely on artificial, chemical preservatives."
The Sense skin and beauty care line includes:
Sense:
Gentle Daily Cleanser Hydrating Toner Daytime Protective Emulsion Night
Renewal Perfecting Essence Serum Intensive Rice Bran Polisher Eye
Nourisher Sense Splash: Intensive Hand Therapy Energizing Shower Gel
Firming Body Nourisher Revitalizing Shampoo Nourishing Conditioner
About USANA
USANA
develops and manufactures high-quality nutritional, personal-care, and
weight management products that are sold directly to Preferred
Customers and Associates throughout the United States, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea,
Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
More information on USANA can be found at http://www.usanahealthsciences.com.
Press Release:
SALT LAKE CITY, Apr 30, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (USNA) will be recognized on May 19, 2007 with two Utah Best of State Awards. USANA will receive an award for the best dietary supplements in the state of Utah along with an award for best personal-care products.
Recognition for having the best dietary supplements in Utah is especially meaningful because of the numerous supplement manufacturers located in the state. According to the United Natural Products Alliance, Utah has more than 100 dietary supplement companies generating estimated revenues of $4.4 billion.
This is the fourth time USANA will accept a Best of State award for dietary supplements. The company also received Best of State awards for dietary supplement in 2003, 2004 and 2006. In addition, this year USANA will receive its first Best of State award for personal-care products. USANA's revolutionary Sense(TM) skin-care line is valued by customers for its nourishing ingredients and exclusive technologies including patent-pending self-preserving formulas.
Noted Anti-MLM Zealot, Robert Fitzpatrick has aligned himself with convicted felon, Barry Minkow in the attack on USANA...
Press Release:
The Fraud Discovery Institute today posted on its website a new 19-page report on Usana Heath Sciences, Inc (NASDAQ: USNA) by noted multi-level marketing expert Robert Fitzpatrick. The report documents that Usana has operated under scrutiny of regulators for so long because Usana, like Enron, has “stolen the identity of a legitimate direct selling company when in reality it is nothing more than a glorified ‘chain letter’.” Fitzpatrick’s report, titled Usana Health Sciences: A Case of Corporate Identity Theft, was posted today at www.frauddiscovery.net.
NEW YORK, April 19 (newratings.com) - In a research note published yesterday, analysts at Wedbush Morgan reiterate their "hold" rating on USANA Health Sciences Inc (USNA.NAS), while reducing their estimates for the company. The target price is set to $47.
USANA Health Sciences "hold," estimates reduced | newratings.com
I didn't even post about the FDI rebuttal to Len Clements rebuttal because, frankly it was a bunch of nonsense.
However, for your reading pleasure, here is a link to the rebuttal to the rebuttal of the rebuttal.
Len figures that a more well thought out rebuttal to his original rebuttal is also in the works.
Word of the day? Rebuttal.
I have been a fan of USANA for several years. They are a good company. They have shown steady growth and I have never heard any goofy wonder-cure promises about the USANA products. When I was the president of a small Network Marketing company, I used USANA as a good business example in a number of areas.
Having said that, USANA is now in trouble and the trouble is going to get worse before it gets better. I'm not saying that USANA will go out of business...I'm pretty confident they are stable in that respect. However, USANA associates will struggle with finding new customers and associates.
This is bad news for associates who are really putting in the effort to build a profitable business. The high level associates and corporate executives will do their best to divert attention and control the damage and keep people motivated. The efforts of the executives will work for a while, but not a long while. I know first hand how hard it is to build a company that has a poor reputation. It is no fun.
I hate to say it, but if you are a USANA associate, it might be a good time to consider adding a 2nd company to your business plan. I am not a fan of diverting your attention into another company, but this is a different situation.
If you are like the reported 80% + people who signed up for USANA because you wanted cheaper USANA products, keep on ordering and enjoying your products. If you are one of the 20% that are in USANA to build a business, I wish you the best of luck.
Here are couple of unique ideas in the home based business industry that are unrelated to health and wellness:
Send Out Cards - My wife uses these cards to keep in touch with friends and family. I think this is a good business to share with people outside of the industry.
Scent-sations/Mia Bella Candles - I like candles and my friend Kari Anderson has built a great business (she even brought her husband home from work to help her).
The Traveling Vineyard - Host a wine tasting, drink wine, make money. Sounds fun. (Not available in all states)
Len Clements is amazing. He took the time to write a 28 page rebuttal to the Fraud Discovery Institute's claims about USANA.
You can read Len's document here.
Scoording to Len's recent Marketwave Alert:
The FDI (Fraud Discovery Institute) is directed by Barry Minkow, who spent almost 7 1/2 years in prison after being convicted on 57 counts of fraud and conspiracy in the 1980s. Minkow has continued his attacks on Usana by issuing additional reports and posting anti-Usana videos on YouTube.
I will also point out that Minkow was helped by the author of the so called Pink Truth web site, Tracy Coenen. Coenen has become known for her attacks on Mary Kay Cosmetics. No news whether or not Coenen "shorted" the USANA stock (in the same manner that Minkow did) before the original report was released.
Here is the latest video from the "Fraud Discovery Institute". Keep in mind that the guy that owns the Fraud Discovery Institute has spent time in prison for....fraud.
Recent Comments