Strizheus: Problems for Empower Network in South Dakota?
Big Idea Mastermind is the marketing system developed for and used by Vick Strizheus’ Empower Network downline.
Launched in 2012, today Big Idea Mastermind (BIM), is “the number one team in Empower Network”.
After a week of emails announcing what was touted as “the most important webinar that” Strizheus has “ever hosted”, things kicked off last night with a brief refresher on Big Idea Mastermind’s history, and then things began to get interesting.
[15:06] This is not 100% official yet… and I know some people are gunna get pissed, some people are gunna be like “what’s going on?”, some people are gunna go gossip… there is a good chance that I might need to exit (the) network marketing industry.
Vick Strizheus is quitting MLM.
Why?
[16:40] I really hate this but I live in a state, and we’ve been kind of going back and forth on this kind of stuff ever since 2010, really. Basically there are a few states in the United States, and South Dakota being one of them, where if you’re going to promote something that they consider to be a “business opportunity”, they make you… give your potential prospect a, what’s called a prospectus sheet.
[17:24] (It) basically outlines here is the compensation plan, here’s how everything is gunna work. Y’know the prospect has to sit on it for like three days, sleep on it, pray on it, whatever, ask their dog about it y’know, ask their wife about it, see if that’s something they want to do.
And then if they still want to do it, then they come back to you and sign an agreement and then you can pursue them and enrol them into the business…
[17:46] Although Empower Network technically is not classified to be a business opportunity, they still are not liking it.
Strizheus doesn’t clarify who “they” are, however given the statement was made while he was talking about regulatory rules in South Dakota, there’s a strong implication that it is the state that has a problem with Empower Network.
If Empower Network is facing regulatory issues in South Dakota or elsewhere, they have certainly yet to go public with it.
Meanwhile for reasons not immediately clear, it appears letting a prospective affiliate think on joining Empower Network for even three days is unacceptable to Strizheus.
[26:13] Giving people a prospectus for three days, and then them deciding if they still wanna do it or not… y’know, it’s just not how I wanna do this right?
[17:59] and so I’m kinda forced to either move out and, although the business is not in the state, but physical presence, or just kind of forced to exit and just do something different.
Moving away is not an option, I just have way to much stuff here. We got the family here, we got the house and everything here. We’re going between South Dakota and Miami a lot and my business is in a different state, but… here’s what I’m thinking.
[19:59] The reason that we’ve been slowing down and I haven’t been involved with Big Idea Mastermind as I used to in the beginning, is because there was a lot of stuff going on in the background.
[20:52] As of right now, today, I will not promote a network marketing company, any network marketing company – just because I don’t think it’s worth (it) for me. I’m not gunna do anything that’s a grey area. It’s either black or white.
I imagine the “grey area” Strizheus is referring to is Empower Network’s perpetual pass-up business model, which sees affiliates funnel payments up to the company to corporate at the top. The more affiliates recruit, the higher the payout from downlines.
The company counts affiliates who haven’t recruited as retail customers, but true retail within Empower Network is estimated to be virtually non-existent (the company has never revealed true retail revenue figures).
Here things take a detour, with Strizheus taking his time to hit up viewers with his post-Empower Network plans. The premise Strizheus uses to finally introduce his new business opportunity is “what if something happened to Empower Network (again, more hinting at upcoming or existing regulatory action):
[24:51] What if, god forbid, something happened to Empower Network? What if, god forbid, some kind of agency decided to investigate it?
Not because they did something wrong, not because the company is illegit or anything, but just because a regulatory agency decided “Hey, we wanna investigate you”, right? What if, god forbid, when that happens to Empower, because they are growing like crazy okay?
We don’t want our income to depend on one particular system.
Strizheus then goes on to explain a business model that supposedly combines “cost per acquisition” (CPA), affiliate, network and internet marketing, with “offline business”.
Strizheus claims that 90%+ of people who join MLM companies “like Amway, like Herbalife, like Empower Network” is “because of the (business) opportunity”, not the product. Strizheus states that this is a “problem”, mainly due to “competition”.
Reading between the lines, I believe the problem Strizheus is identifying is competition amongst affiliates to recruit new affiliates (into the opportunity). Inevitably, due to recruitment competition, any business that is marketing the opportunity (whether openly or not) is going to slow down.
[36:30] Here’s the idea… how can we tap into all of these industries… without interfering with what’s going on in their business.
[40:16] We can walk into any business and say “Hey, check this out!” He’s gunna look at this and say “Where do I sign up?”
It takes a good twenty minutes or so for Strizheus to get to the point, but the gist of his “idea”, is basically an all-in-one internet marketing suite (merchant account, SMS marketing, email autoresponder, capture pages, membership site platform, blog platform, lead generation etc.). Strizheus refers to it as an “all-in-one, complete marketing and automation system”.
Strizheus plans on charging either $47, $97 or $197 a month for what he calls the “Magic Suite” system.
- $47 – autoresponder, subscriber management, blog and 10 landing pages
- $97 – the above plus 50 landing pages, sms marketing, tour pages (capture pages?) and “success education”
- $197 – what’s included in $97 and $49, plus a website builder, 5 membership portals, shopping cart functionality, merchant account, lead store (able to purchase leads) and live phone support
Strizheus shares his vision for Big Idea Mastermind, which he sees becoming like the well-known internet marketing forum, Warrior Forum. Strizheus claims Warrior Forum is full of “low-lifes” who should “shutup and not be speaking”. Big Idea Mastermind would build on the concept of an internet marketing forum, but with “zero tolerance for any sort of negativity”. A gamification aspect to the BIM forum is also discussed.
Compensation wise, Strizheus repeatedly states he wants to distance himself from “affiliates” and “network marketing”. He mentions revenue-sharing with “partners” through Big Idea Mastermind.
Affiliate membership is tied into the purchase of Magic Suite, which Strizheus claims will be “a piece of cake” to market to “a thousand subscribers”. After purchasing a Magic Suite subscription, customers are then able to opt in as an affiliate for Big Idea Mastermind (no cost except shipping on an “info kit”).
Via Big Idea Mastermind “partnership”, which Strizheus says is “limited to eliminate competition”. Affiliates are then screened under the guise of a “strategy session”, with selected affiliates going through to a “master strategy session”. Those who make it through this session are then hit with the option to purchase an “Income Speedway” (affiliate marketing) product, costing $1000.
$100 is paid to the telephone marketer who closes the sale, $100 is paid to the company and the rest to the affiliate who introduced the purchasing customer.
In addition to the $47 to $197 in commissions on Magic Suite, other products and services mentioned are a “Hush” business education” event ($2500 cost, at least $1000 in commission), a “high-end retreat” (cost $10,000, $3000 to $5000 commission), a “charter program” ($25,000 to $50,000 cost, no commission specified).
[02:33:38] We don’t wanna, I don’t wanna play with the bottom of the bottom: people who are desperate, people who don’t have the money.
We want to elevate our game and we want to play with the shakers and movers. We want to play with business owners, people who have the money, people who will invest, people who will not stress over a $5000 or $10,000 retreat.
[02:34:10] Will a desperate marketer who just, y’know, who just took his last fifteen or twenty dollars or a hundred dollars and invested it in a business opportunity thinking he’s gunna get rich… will they buy this? Heck no.
But again, we’re opening the door to business owners. We’re opening the doors to corporations, to offline companies. We’re opening the doors to network marketing companies and owners with giant teams of people.
Those people will not even think twice about investing $25,000 to go to and get like a charter program, to be able to hang out with, y’know, a few like-minded people, somewhere on a private island.
Big Idea Mastermind’s partner membership is something that Strizheus stresses will “not be talked about publicly or promoted”. It is by invite only. Strizheus predicts that his partners “will be ridiculously wealthy” [02:36:15].
Strizheus states he’s “looking for no more than a thousand partnerson a global scale”. Additionally, Big Idea Mastermind partners have to be certified, and must run their business from a business entity – they cannot be individuals.
Strizheus states this is because he
[02:46:50] doesn’t want to deal with compliance. I don’t want to deal with regulations, or the affiliate marketing industry, or the network marketing industry, because guys there’s gunna be none of that.
At [02:47:14], Strizheus reveals that Big Idea Mastermind Partnership is priced at $3000. Along with commission qualification and access to revenue-sharing, Big Idea Mastermind Partners also receive a 1 year $97 Magic Suite subscription and access to Income Speedway.
Purportedly, about 130 “businesses” have already signed on as Partners. Partners have to get certified in person at a Big Idea Mastermind event, “infront of a witness and our attorney”.
Whether or not Partnerships are commissionable is unclear. At [02:52:05] Strizheus reveals that the cost of Partnership is $497, which begs the question of where the other $2503 goes (to the company? revenue-sharing?).
Thoughts
Most of Strizheus’ webinar is dedicated to selling Big Idea Mastermind partnership to viewers, however I believe the reason for Strizheus severing ties with Empower Network is of far greater interest than his next venture.
The citing of South Dakota’s requirements to give prospective MLM affiliates a three-day decision time appears to be baloney. This isn’t a new rule so it begs the question of why Strizheus is only paying attention to it now.
The way he’s setting Big Idea Mastermind up, with partnerships, business to business contracts and Strizheus repeatedly stating he’s not interested in compliance or MLM regulation, it’s almost as if this is some sort of reaction to pending or existing regulatory action.
[02:57:36] There’s actual documents that you guys need to sign, in order to participate and get certified as partner.
And the documents are basically going to outline our code of conduct. It’s gunna outline our, y’know what you can and can’t do as a partner – so we will set some boundaries.
You step over those boundaries, you know what? Y’know if you screw up, you screw up on your own. Make sense?
I’m just being upfront with you. I don’t want to deal with headaches of managing people. We have way too many people now using Big Idea Mastermind’s image all over Facebook inappropriately. We have people using my name inappropriately – this is just ridiculous. We’re not gunna allow that at all.
What exactly that action might entail is a mystery. Empower Network hasn’t revealed anything thus far, and if Strizheus is personally under investigation – he’s keeping it under his belt for now. The only hint Strizheus drops is at [03:35:49]:
What’s going to happen to Big Idea Mastermind?
I’ll be totally upfront and honest with you. As far as me personally, I’m still going back and forth with, to try to see if we can do something about, y’know possibly negotiating with the state or proving (that) what we’re doing at Empower Network is not really a biz opp.
Although y’know, it’s gunna be pretty difficult because there’s a compensation plan involved for affiliates in the state.
Trying to prove to regulators that Empower Network is not a business opportunity? Yeah, good luck with that.
[03:36:28] If we can prove our case, then we can continue to do what we’re doing. It’ll just be a different division of Big Idea.
What exactly happens if Strizheus (and others?) can’t prove their case to “the state” is left unsaid as far as Empower Network goes, with Strizheus only repeating that he personally will exit the network marketing industry.
[03:36:37] Most likely though, it looks like personally I will have to exit the network marketing industry. Just because of the hoops that they’re making us jump through, in my state, to continue doing it – which is, it’s not making any sense.
As far as the system, Big Idea Mastermind system, if I’m able to leave it open – I will.
If we will be forced to either edit the system or to close the system completely, or maybe if there is also a possibility that maybe we can position the system so that I kinda take myself out from being on the system there, on the promotion materials. And maybe we can just build it around a leadership or something like that.
I’m open to those ideas as well. As of today right now, it’s kinda up in the air. So I really don’t have anything solid to tell you.
[03:38:15] I’m kinda between a rock and a hard place. And uh, it’s because of some laws of the state. And I’m not gunna do anything that’s grey, it’s gunna be black or white. So, I choose to do white. That is that.
As for the Big Idea Mastermind business itself, provided the partnership fee is not commissionable (it doesn’t appear to be), I don’t see any issues with it. Seems to be a straight single-level affiliate deal with actual products.
The revenue-sharing component is a bit murky, and Strizheus (deliberately?) doesn’t go into any specific details in the webinar.
I will state that even for a single-level affiliate program, $47 to $50,000 is quite the product price range.
At this preliminary stage it’s hard to gauge what the biggest team in Empower Network moving on will mean for the company. Ever since their flopped Blog Beast launch, Empower Network has been in decline.
Co-founder David Sharpe stepped down due to illness just under a fortnight ago, which casts an even larger shadow of doubt over the company’s future. Having loosely followed Empower Network for some time now, I’m not really seeing any clear path forward for the business.
Update 1st May 1st 2014 – Here’s an official response from EN on the issue of regulatory action in South Dakota:
From The Desk of Jonathan Cronstedt:
Hello EN Family,
Many of you may have been on a webinar last night done by Vick Strizheus / Big Idea Mastermind, and I wanted to clear up any confusion, as well as correct the inaccuracies from the webinar.
Despite what Vick inferred during the conference, Vick’s challenges in the state of South Dakota are directly related to his own efforts outside of Empower Network. There are no pending issues between Empower Network and the state of South Dakota (or any other state).
As it turns out, Vick has had challenges in the past in South Dakota related to another venture back in 2008. In 2013, unbeknownst to us at Empower Network, he was asked to refrain from promoting his “Big Idea Mastermind” in South Dakota. This request was disregarded, which led to the issues hinted at by Vick during the call.
For those of you currently going through the Internet Traffic Formula Course, it will continue to be delivered on time and it is my highest priority that you have an incredibly impactful learning experience.
We at Empower Network have long held the belief that your past is not your future, and that we are here to help you build your dreams, whatever they may be…and that belief requires that you will build that dream with integrity and honor, with respect for compliance, regulations, and rules that exist to ensure we all have an opportunity to build on a solid foundation.
I’m grateful to each and every one of you who has joined us in our quest to bring about an entrepreneurial revolution, and we wish Vick Strizheus and his family the best in resolving the current challenges he is personally experiencing.
=====
Sincerely,
Jonathan Cronstedt
CEO, Empower NetworkP.S. To further clarify, Empower Network has made no endorsement for Nick Malis, Big Idea Mastermind, or any products/services of Nick Malis or Vick Strizheus outside of Empower Network.
If you chose to do business with anyone, we encourage you to do your own due diligence prior to any decision. Empower Network has no relationship, actual or implied, with Nick Malis, or the workshop mentioned on last nights webinar.
Update #2 1st May 2014 – Less than 12 hours after this article went live, Strizheus marked his webinar “private”. It is no longer viewable by the general public (although all the relevant parts have been transcribed above in this article).
Update #3 1st May 2014 – As of sometime in the AM on May 1st US time, Strizheus appears to have been terminated from Empower Network.
He claims EN corporate were on his secret webinar and probably didn’t like what they heard.
I am a fan of mandantory cool-down period and mandatory disclosure document. If the opportunity is good, it’ll still be good after 72 hours.
This guy basically admitted that he’s using time pressure, and ‘strike while the iron’s hot’ and other coercive sales techniques on his prospectives. So f*** him.
He’s the reason why Network Marketing has a bad reputation.
Article updated with official response from EN.
This blog is completely unethical, from someone who did not respect Vick’s request to keep things closed room. I am glad though that EN has responded clearly.
Sure caught the CEOs attention pretty quick. 🙂
@Prem
I’m not in Big Idea Mastermind and couldn’t care less about Strizheus’ appeal that they not share the information.
And I certainly think it’s in the best interest of the public to be aware that the reason they might be paying thousands of dollars for Big Idea Mastermind products and/or services is to fund commissions for a secret Partners group, and potentially murky revenue-sharing scheme.
Thanks to the efforts of a concerned BehindMLM reader, I watched most of Strizheus’ presentation live. Unfortunately I had unavoidable stuff to do that afternoon otherwise I would have had the writeup published sooner.
Well that explains why Wood’s FB page went from promoting Stizheus’ stuff in seemingly every other post just a few weeks ago to no mention recently.
So EN is basically down to Wood trying to hold it together. How much you want to bet the the next event (I think it’s supposed to be in New Orleans) is suddenly turned into an on-line only event with Wood using an excuse such as not wanting to leave his family behind?
For a guy who was arrested for fraud he’s being arrogant and condescending when he says…
I believe he built his EN empire on “people who are desperate.” I would not invest 5 cents with Vic much less $5,000.
“…he is genius with a capital J…” Hilariously foolish the 10 minutes I saw.
Who falls for this amateurish and ridiculous stuff?
In terms of what passes for “internet marketing” in 2014, there’s a huge difference between “people who are desperate” and “people who will admit they are desperate” and “people who are desperate but are in denial”
Strizheus knows this only too well, it’s to the third group he’s aiming his comments.
No one likes to admit they are in desperate circumstances, least of all anyone who is under the influence of the “fake it ’till you make it” positive thinking gurus at the forefront of the “internet marketing” movement.
It’s a technique to make people feel included in a “special” group, possessors of some sort of “special” knowledge not available to “ordinary” people, most often found in religious “cults”
“Join my group and I’ll give you the special knowledge only you will have to: lead you to salvation / make you rich / set you apart / reach your potential / be successful. Oh, and no losers need apply”
Same principle, different words.
Whatever your next move is Vick remember that David Will follow you because i trust and you earn it.
Article updated with Strizheus’ response: He marked his webinar as private.
@zoe
Apparently both Strizheus’ “certification” event and EN’s next event are scheduled to take place on the same day (upcoming Labor day weekend in the US).
The response given to this on the webinar by Strizheus’ sidekick is “we don’t know what to tell you, you’ll have to pick one”.
I am sure disappointed to see Vick the way he was and to hear the things he was saying. I don’t think Vick realizes how many people know about his past of hurting people financially, yet we were all willing to just forget about the past, as the past does not define us, but what we do from that day forward does matter.
Vick sounded, prior, that he cared about us people ‘with no money’. We had a small construction company in Southern Oregon for 8 years, did really well, helped others as much as we could, by working them, or just helping when we saw a need.
But when the great depression of 2007/2008 started, we lost everything, our home, my car, sold everything else that was worth anything….like all of our fairly new furniture, 2 new AtV’s we had and even my wedding ring set, gave my beautiful Macaw away, and all that went with him…. he’s doing good though, (Samson is his name) and the guy that has him, loves him as much as I did.
So, yes, times for people that just don’t have much money, isn’t what it used to be…..not for most of us, but I refuse to give up, as I do have faith and I know that something good is going to come out of all of this….for those that believe, have faith and keep on going!
One thing I did like about Vick’s teachings, is I really did learn a lot, but it doesn’t surprise me with this turn from one thing to another, as one of the guys who the other day on one of the webinar’s said, I wish Vick would just complete ONE thing….then move on to the next…because some of those things, he never does nor has in the past, completed what he started.
I didn’t believe it much, I know how people talk, but today, really made me wonder. I really looked up to Vick, he seemed so sincere about wanting to help us poooo people….but I guess it was maybe just an act. Who do you trust?
(Ozedit: recruitment spam removed)
well, here is the deal people, whether you wish to believe it or not.
A month ago, Internet Traffic Formula was the most promoted product on the internet that weekend, by Vick. It was selling for $997.00 – you might as well say $1000 – and for most people $1000 does not grow on trees right?
Well low and behold I bought this and guess what? It was not even close to being done, that is right, if someone ethical – that being the key word is going to charge a stiff price of one grand, you would expect to get a totally finished product — I would only hope.
Well none of Vick’s trainings were ever finished, back in the Global Success Club Days, etc. and even in present day 2014, not sure why me or others thought this was going to be any different. Like the old saying goes people if you play with fire, you’re eventually going to get burned. What goes around comes around, you know people, think about it.
You rip enough people off in your life, it’s gonna come back and nip ya in the bud….right? ….not wishing Vick anything bad – he is a good person, family man and all, but it boils down to ethical business practices, it really does, people getting rich – selling things that they say exist and don’t, now I don’t believe this product will ever be finished and put in back office of EN…think about it? do you???? given these circumstances????
just saying for most $1000 does not grow on trees and when you dish out that type of money, you expect a completed product – at least I did. But still far from done and this is May 1. One month from the big weekend promo. I think there is more going on than will ever be revealed.
That was the product Wood was encouraging people to pull out their credit card and “laugh hysterically” as they charged $997 to it was it not?
And it’s not even finished? I guess that’s what was so funny…
On a more serious note, people paying $997 for a product that’s not finished is just asking for regulatory issues. Empower Network or any company for that matter should not be selling products that are not finished.
I bought the internet traffic formula and thought highly of Vick and thought him to be genuine and real and true. I put my trust and money into the Empower Network who endorsed Vick and have lost so much.
I am gutted that I spent a whole month’s salary on the Internet Traffic Formula and got duped …. feel like a huge big fool. Man alive, how could I have been so blind sighted … easily as all Vick is is a damn good sales man at the end of the day … that’s how we got ripped off.
Good point LittleRoundMan…
It’s called Gnosticism, and it is applicable to his technique. I’ve noticed in some cases that people are willing to spend money to be part of a successful team, even though the only successful individual is the leader. It’s success by association and tends to be cultish in some cases causing many to remain in denial when the opportunity falls apart or the leader is indicted.
However, to be fair, there are some who in fact successfully help their team members in legitimate opportunities. Whether friends or business partners you need to wisely choose who you associate with.
Everyone should know that the Nick Malis dude that Jonathan refers to in his oh shit post of yesterday is the same Nick Malis that was recently indicted by the state of Nevada.
http://ag.nv.gov/News/PR/2013/Mortgage/Attorney_General_Masto_Announces_Indictment_of_Father_and_Son_in_Connection_With_Mortgage_Lending_Fraud/
What more funny is that Wood and Sharpe introduced Malis to all the leaders in Empower telling them how great he was and that he was doing personal work for them. Now they want to distance themselves???
Run away from Empower as fast as you can. The feds are probably not far behind!
Looks like Vick has issued a response….and from what I can see he’s getting over 3 comments per second on it!
http://vick-strizheus.com/truth-about-empower-network/
So get a cease and desist, stay in the state but register your business out-of-state, think everything is hunky-dory and then act all surprised when you get accused of breaching the cease and desist.
I don’t necessarily agree with the booting from EN (another nail in the coffin IMO), but Strizheus’ issues with South Dakota seem pretty clear cut, with him being squarely in the wrong.
These are all classic, planned exits. Typical of Ponzi or pyramid deals. With some lower level people in between, David Woods exit is next with some classic, typical excuse.
History repeats itself. The blind will follow this to the end. The experienced ones predicted this, almost to the date, and could have wrote this script, word for word.
Why do i hate Vick so much that i even created an FB page to bring him down?
You’ll find all the answers in the Stop Vick Striheus room.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/593644440705121/
Normally i wouldn’t post a link without approval from Oz but i think this is a relevant group for the topic 🙂
This is what is called, I guess, Ninja Marketing. But come on Vick, this is not the way to do it. You really have to do better than this.
Hundred and thousands of people have already invested in you and your programs and what about ITF and the upscale, what’s that called “My best month ever”.
Yes it is sad, these ordinary ($15/- $20) people gave you $1500/- You want them to follow you ? You have to Walk the Talk. At least give these people an upgrade.
I totally agree that people need to have a business account (if not for any other reason, at least for tax purposed). But come on Vick – you do need to sleep at night !!!
Remember, always ” Karma is a Bitch ” and a bad one at that.
Plenty of things that this post says Vick “said” on his webinar is completely twisted as are 90% of the things are on the web.
From someone who is a member of BIM and was a apart of the webinar a bunch of this is false and twisted. All of the negativity and hate just shows the 99% of people who fail at succeeding online.
If Vick was a Con man and all this other jibberish i would be still working a regular job like most of you probably are. But I’m not, I am now “unemployable” and free because of Vick.
And what he has done. 1% of people online stick it out online and succeed, 99% quit and complain and end up here and post crap to further justify their failure to make it. Watch the webinar, then come back and read this post again. You might feel a little rediculius after. BIM is the best thing to happen to the marketing industry.
P.s. Most of you need to actually look up the meaning of an MLM because 99% of the time “like here” it is highly mis-understood. Make sure you know the difference between an MLM, Internet marketing, network marketing, etc… And if you think it’s all the same that’s a good indicator you shouldn’t be online.
BIM and Emower is NOT an MLM, which I find the name of this site pretty off also. Do something else with your life instead of spending time trying to take someone down who is doing more good in the world than your are.
Right… because quotes from the webinar itself are “twisted”.
And cut the crap about EN not being MLM. BIM I’m not so sure about but if you have a downline in it (past one level), then it’s MLM too.
Rule #1 about commenting here, leave your silly internet marketer handbook and made up statistics at home.
Vick’s days are getting very close to being “numbered”. Karma has a way of catching up. 99% of the time, a leopard never changes his spots.
We knew he was up to his old tricks again when EN members were complaining about stolen subscribers, which was proven by some high tech guys.
What’s really sad? With Vick’s intelligence, he could have had a hell of a comeback story from his past and used that knowledge in a positive light by teaching struggling marketers how to be successful “Without” ripping people off. His arrogance knows no bounds.
Even more sad? Plenty of blowhards will still follow no matter what the consequences are.
Don’t bull****. You get passed-up commission from multiple levels down. It’s MLM.
It’s clearly *you* have no idea what you’re talking about. PLEASE go fix that. Only you can do that.
So, ok. Maybe Vick has shared some value with his customers/affiliates/members.
Is it safe to say that perhaps half or less failed to implement one or two formulas from his ITF course and had zero success?
Some claim the ITF course is unfinished. Was anything from the unfinished course worth implementing in order to gauge some success gained from applying it?
Was it not worth the trouble?
Did you get your money back?
Thanks so much on giving me these up dates on Vic and Empower.
All I can say he needs our Prayers..
Darryl
If Vick Strizheus’ new venture is anything like his past ventures I would say do your homework before even considering its merits.
One of his partners in this new venture is not far from sharing a unhealthy reputation. Nick Malis and Vic Strizheus do have more in common that most even knew.
ATTORNEY GENERAL MASTO ANNOUNCES INDICTMENT OF FATHER AND SON IN CONNECTION WITH MORTGAGE LENDING FRAUD
October 16, 2013
Carson City, NV – Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced that two Las Vegas men were indicted by a Clark County grand jury on several felonies in connection with their operation of a mortgage lending fraud scam.
▪
A 13 count indictment for each defendant was returned by a grand jury today charging father James Timothy Malis, 66 and son Nicholas Malis, 37, both of Las Vegas.
▪
Operating under the name Home Defense Foundation (HDF) and Legacy Group International (LG) International, Nicholas and James Malis allegedly pushed a “qualified written request” and “real estate mortgage investment conduit investigation” service promising clients this service would uncover various violations, including the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and/or the Fair Debts Collections Practices Act.
▪
The pair allegedly claimed that upon uncovering these violations clients would be entitled to a legal remedy resulting in either a reduction of their loan to the current market value and to the current market interest rate or an award of damages. Both allegedly claimed that HDF and LG were affiliated with a “network of attorneys” that would represent clients in either an individual lawsuit or in a multi joinder plaintiff lawsuit against clients’ lenders.
▪
The pair allegedly charged $4,995 up front for the “service products” but failed to deliver the promised services or results.
▪
Both are charged with:
▪ (2) theft in the amount of $650 or more against a person 60 years of age or older,
▪ (1) theft in the amount of $2,500 or more,
▪ (1) theft in the amount of $3,500 or more,
▪ (2) theft in the amount of $3,500 or more against a person 60 years of age or older,
▪ (5) mortgage lending fraud,
▪ (1) pattern of mortgage lending fraud,
▪ (1) conspiracy to commit mortgage lending fraud, and
▪ (1) multiple transactions involving fraud and deceit in the course of enterprise or occupation.
▪
An indictment is a statement of charges. The defendants are presumed innocent until their guilt is proven in a court of law.
▪
This case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Segal and Deputy Attorney General Sarah Overly of the Attorney General’s Mortgage Fraud Unit.
▪
NICK MALIS TIM MALIS BREACH OF CONTRACT, AVOID CALLS, DOES NOT RETURN CALLS, WORK NOT COMPLETED LAS VEGAS, Nevada posted in the ripoff report.
Everybody has a past, so do your homework before you look for that opportunity that could bite you in the rear later.
I’ve heard that South Dakota and some other Sates don’t allow MLM or whatever, I’v read it on some distributor aggreements in times past. so it might hold some water what he’s saying.
Maybe you should consult a real source rather than listen to crap info from people who don’t know crap.
How about “The MLM Attorney” Kevin Thompson? He compiled this list. Believe him rather than some random dick who want to sell you crap.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/21293376/MLM-and-Pyramid-Laws-in-50-States
@Billy
When individuals begin to blame governmental entities for their problems the end of their activities is not far behind. I saw it with Zeek, TelexFree and now with Vic.
Vic was convicted of insurance fraud and his partner is being indicted for mortgage fraud among other things. Seems like birds of the same feather.
I believe in second chances but Vic has used up all his chips. He doesn’t appear to have learned anything good from his past transgressions.
Too bad, he is gifted individual. Then again, so is Bernie Madoff.
The contributors to this thread who are trying to draw as much negative information as they can find about Empower Network and Vick need to consider this.
Hundreds of lives and families have been transformed because Empower Network created a platform for which they could create an income IF they took was taught and applied the principles to sell the products that Empower Network has developed.
Everyone who has made any money here has only done so because they worked hard and applied hours and hours of training.
The scariest MLM is found in every city, in every state in the United States and around the world. The CEO is at the top while several VPs are layered below him and below them are managers and supervisors and then finally on the bottom of the pyramid are thousands of worker bees who will never feel financial and time freedom that the guy at the top has.
Keep your job in Corporate America and spend you useless free time criticizing those who wish for a better life.
How do they do that?
roped more suckers into the gifting scheme… who roped more suckers into the gifting scheme.. who etc., etc.
There’s a finality to all of this, which would be avoidable if EN had repeat-consumable products, but they don’t. Hence the complete lack of retail in the business.
Meanwhile the blog platform was only developed because it was abundantly obvious selling WordPress access clearly exposed the bottom rung of the gifting scheme. And even then, as a poor man’s WordPress (a real achivement, considering WordPress is free), it flopped.
People were ok buying into the gifting scheme under the guise of paying for WordPress, but not a sub-par imitation.
What you think about CEOs and bees is entirely irrelevant. Regurgitating “Internet marketing excuses 101” won’t get you very far here.
Since Empower Network claims to have 128 thousand members as of January 2013, seems success rate is negligible. Thus, your statistic sounds like a reason to AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE.
Empower is a Network Marketing, MLM, direct sale type business. It is NOT classified as a business opportunity/bizopps. Check the regulatory definition of a business that is considered to be a biz opp. The state of SD regulation regarding the wait period are in reference to biz opps not MLM’s, and Network Marketing companies.
Keep in mind speculation is not fact. Do your research and get all the facts. Check your emotions and personal feelings at the door. Make sure your conclusions are based on the entire picture. Until such time the best any of us can do is speculate.
I wonder which numbers are greater — those that found value in the materials Strizheus promotes or those that didn’t? I’d be willing to be there is a direct correlation with those numbers — those that followed through implemented and tweaked and those that thought it would happen magically over night.
@K. Chang … if you look at the membership roster and the percentage of success in ANY network marketing, direct sell, or mlm company you would see similar ratios. You have many people that get into the opportunities thinking that it’s the magic pill and they don’t have to work consistently and build the business — if you treat it like a hobby you get hobby results.
Are there companies out there that aren’t great sure … it’s that way in any industry and yes I’m speaking from experience of my own misconceptions of the differences between the various facets of this industry as well as the actual amount of work and discipline it takes to make a success.
You gotta be willing to take the risk, learn the skills and do the work. That’s all.
All I’m saying is make sure you have the facts … I think the jury is still out on this one.
Le sigh.
By all means feel free to provide this information. I suspect however you’ll have trouble reproducing it, given that you’re quite obviously just regurgitating some BS your upline fed you.
EN is both a business opportunity and MLM company. Time to get over it.
You’re seriously going to try to make that argument?
Protip: There are a ton more people living on Earth who didn’t pay for Strizheus’ materials than those who did.
Stupid answer to a stupid question.
Not an excuse for a lack of retail activity in Empower Network.
Either they have significant retail activity or they don’t. It’s that simple.
Sidenote: I’m reading Strizheus and EN patched things up. Not sure of the details.
I guess there was too much money at stake to get on the bad side of the company’s largest downline.
So people should avoid ALL of them like the plague, according to you, so why do you say the facts are still out?
even empower network is not in the clear because if you get paid any commission or make money from any of your down line if it is a one off commission or a residual commission, no matter how disfigured the pyramid is, it is still pyramid selling… and that my friends is illegal.
Ask Frank Kern he will tell you, he will also tell you that the powers that be can and will take any thing from you and seize all of your assets.
Look out that funny smelling brown stuff is about to hit the fan! lets see who’s a wussie now.
if you think that vic strizheus has really left the building check out this new guy or this new guys name that you may have been put under in the empower network (that is if you where fool enough to join in this scam like me).
“Victor Sigue” does this ring any bells???
Damage done. Sides have been chosen by many. The walls are beginning to crumble.
We’ll be seeing the exit strategies of some of the top people be put into play soon .
@juliet
Oh please tell me this isn’t the “solution” that was reached.
South Dakota will quite obviously not be impressed these guys are trying to pull a fast one.
Those who are here complaining about not make money are not making money because they are spending their time here complaining instead of working at what they learned to grow their business.
This is sheer entertainment.
Who are those people? You seem to have problems reading.
Oh and cmon, “it’s not the gifting business model, it’s you”? I told you to put down that copy of internet marketing excuses 101.
First, let me make this clear. My points where expressed with the utmost respect for everyone that commented. I didn’t come off as condescending to you Oz or anyone else here. I would appreciate the same. But then again based on the way you addressed my comments I doubt if that’s even possible.
Second, I don’t take anything anyone says to me at face value. Upline, downline and certainly not those on the sideline not even in the game. I check things out for myself. I know how to research and I know the difference between fact and speculation.
I’ll be more than happy to provide some of the sources to information I gathered with my own little fingers and brain. Do you allow links?
You have transcripts from one source post from a few disgruntled people which happens in all of business. You’ve made the speculation that all the testimonials for those products were paid. Where is your proof to substantiate this claim?
I simply commented to add a more neutral balanced point of view. My verdict is still out on this one was in reference to the situation you initially wrote about. Not the one statement you focused in on. None of us where in the room … or were you … with Empower and Strizhues or the courtroom.
The actual facts about what is or isn’t going on have not been laid out publicly anywhere that I have seen. So to say this or that is the case and what has happened is nothing but speculation … at best.
Now as far as what is a biz op and what isn’t there are facts, documentation and regulations on paper and easily searchable for anyone to find. I would not have made the reference regardless of what I may or may not have been told without something to back it up.
@K. Chang. Of course not. I by no means am saying that you should stay away from all of them. I simply meant the people that join and do not follow through with what it takes to make a success out of the business out number those that do. That seems to be the way with most things though (my own speculation based on experience and observation of human behavior).
How many people do you know that buy this course that is suppose to be the next best thing or product, or exercise equipment etc. and then not use it or don’t implement it as prescribed? You can’t win a race if you don’t put in the effort to train and then execute. That is the point I was making there.
It’s not only important for the folks at the top of the pyramid to take personal responsibility and be accountable. Everyone should be. You can’t blame the manufacturer for not getting the results you want if you don’t expend the energy and effort necessary as well. Your outcome is directly proportional to the input given.
Now, do I have permission to post the sources I found that substantiate what is and isn’t a biz op?
#21 Do you know what the cease and desist was issued for?
What on Earth are you talking about?
Again, what on Earth are you talking about?
So Strizheus and EN are lying? Cool, proof please.
Please don’t waste my time with garbage.
Downline? MLM.
Able to earn commissions (affiliate agreements etc. involved)? Business opportunity.
I’m not interested in psuedo-compliance PR spin bullshit.
Fair enough if it’s being advertised as a pyramid scheme, or gifting scheme as is the case with Empower Network.
But it’s not.
Legal precedence in MLM regulatory action as such has seen owners, insiders and top promoters held accountable.
I see anything with a referral link or offtopic and it’s gone.
@Jade
Neither Streizheus or EN have made that information public (and I haven’t bothered to look it up, as it was clearly MLM related and that was enough).
Is that what they teach in denial school? Ever heard of survivorship bias? You’re assuming that people who “fail” are not working hard. Yet year after year, the percentage of people actually making significant money are about the same.
Either you’re attracting a lot more lazy people and have no problem with taking their money or luck plays a far more significant factor than you care to admit. I vote for the latter.
Victim blaming, survivorship bias (i.e. luck denial), AND post-hoc reasoning all rolled into one. Any one who failed *obviously* are lazy and stupid… *because* they did not succeed.
Must be MLM indoctrination 101: if you fail, it must be your own **** fault because the system is supposedly foolproof (where there is no evidence supporting such a conclusion)
Take away the whole “wussy” gimmick, and that’s essentially David Wood’s marketing strategy for keeping affiliates paying each month.
Hardly surprising EN participants run around regurgitating it.
And you’re the star attraction, by demonstrating your cognitive biases and MLM indoctrination.
EN’s own number says that 1% of participants make significant money. The other 99% makes less than 35K a year. This is accurate as of May 1, 2014 based on past 12 months. Worse, 75% makes less than $600 a year.
Let’s assume that EN has 150K participants for the moment (feel free to publish EN figures to dispute that, as I can’t seem to find an accurate count) what KO and Jade is basically saying that 148.5K people are lazy bas****s when there’s a 99% chance are they *are* among the lazy bas****s.
Think about that.
I get sick and tired of hearing dribble like this. What is wrong with Corporate America? All legitimate MLM companies are corporations and have people that work for them. If we did not have people working in Corporate America MLM companies could not function. You’re insulting the people that keep your MLM company running.
For some, Corporate America is a better life, for others, they choose to take another course. For you to make that statement shows me you’re just regurgitating re-fabricated garbage. There are some very informed people on this forum and you’re useless comments demonstrate your inexperience and ignorance on how the world operates.
You can’t even bark up the right tree. Nobody is criticizing your wish for better life. The criticism is for the METHOD you chose to achieve such dreams.
I don’t understand some of you people. The online community has been warning you about Vic for years.
Now, Vic’s mischief ways has slapped you right in the face and you are still in denial.
I’ve seen this train wreck coming from far away, thanks to the online community, I’m not it, although I’ve known about it.
The problem is the zombiefied minds whom need to be herded around the corral.
Stop And Think…Dang!
I am sick about this. Vick gave lots of value in the beginning, and then he made lots of money quickly, which is great. However, he did not follow through on his intentions and plans he laid his followers to believe in.
He starts something and then he bails and goes to the next. Always resulting in you spending more money.
I also think that some of the success stories receive extra support especially for building the story. I say this because I have scoured the internet for the so named stars of Big Idea Mastermind, and I don’t see anything out there that is that great. So, how they do it is pretty none existent to the public.
It’s not scammy like the usual, but not quite real either. I have lost a large 5 figures here and you are right I am an idiot. I am on SS now and considerably lower on cash because of my investment in these opportunities. I am going back to work at 67 with the hope to get some cash infusion to keep on marketing and recoup my losses.
The thing about not being negative is ridiculous as well. That means do not question anything? Keep you mouth shut or else. You can be cut off with no explanation… I was in a skype room with BIM people and asked some questions about when something was going to be finished and I was attacked immediately.. just for asking if anyone knew when a certain sections was going to be finished.
The worst thing was you put your money up front before the thing is finished and/or completed. I only went to empower because Vick thought it was the best commission structure ever and it was.
The new empower blog is a total waste of money to a marketer or business, because you can not monetize the sites. No plugins nothing. If you have a business the blog platform is useless other than for big commissions on the information products which are really good products.
You have to stay in for $125 a month plus another $25 for video part and pay several thousand for the info products to get those commissions. I wouldn’t object to that if you could monetize the platform. It would be worth it.
It is kinda like… buy all you groceries with coupons regardless of how much all the products you don’t need, and you end up with a huge grocery bill. I had a clue early on at one of the webinars with Vick when he went off on people who paid on partner level and expect too much. It was like the more you paid the less he respected you.
I was shocked and how dare you complain that things weren’t finished yet. It was odd. I should have bailed then and would be 0,000 ahead instead of behind. I just though if I hung on maybe I could recoup.
You are right I am an idiot. I just didn’t think he was really that way. I think his intentions are good .. he just doesn’t follow through he’s on to the next thing, and many get left in the cold.
I went to the first structured business meeting they held in Vegas and got my company structured, and it cost me about $1,500 with Nick. However, when I asked if I was certified to go on to the opportunity. They said No!… you have to go again .. because your have to sign the non dis closer stuff.
You can get that stuff notarized and witnessed. I know that. Besides I signed a non dis closer statement the first time.
The scarcity and manipulation marketing tactics abound. I have come to the conclusion that all that is wrong and won’t work or last forever. People are getting tired of that nonsense and definitely getting wise.
I thought Big Idea Mastermind was supposed to change the internet marketing culture in a positive way. That was the goal! Well, it looks like it is a bust!!
I always want to believe the best, but I am struggling with this. However, I think the guy in the above statement is a bit nasty, and it is easy to shame people and I could do without the I told you so without such glee!!
Maybe it makes him feel good. It doesn’t make me feel good.
sorry for spelling … just typed to fast
did it again
Nana,
Why don’t you just sue the shit out of Vick, David Wood, and EN?
The reason you don’t see any BIM success stories is because the only one succeeding in that is the owner Vick and why?
Because he simply gets you to do all the work for him with promotion and lets the unsuspecting referral sign up under him. Thats how the slimy b*****d made $710k in 28 days with his 10k BIM challenge last year.
I have spent entire day trying to warn people at the day of Internet Traffic Formula launch. I was surrounded by hyenas and attacked from every angle. I was being “negative” and I was asked to leave.
Some were celebrating “it will be a great day for EN”, so I was asking: why? It was a ITF launch not EN pitch. I new the truth since I purchased HTA from Vick before. It all lead to EN.
He does not finish his products NOT because he cant or he is not capable of finishing it. It’s not the point. The point is that he uses this technique to get people over the return period.
If he gives you all he has to offer and 14 days to cancel, you can go through all of it, learn and than cancel it. Heck, you can even download all his videos on your computer and replay it later.
He teaches: if it works; use, rinse, repeat. And that is exactly what he does. He uses same trick over and over again… because it works.
He is a millionaire now and I have $500 less. That how self created “gurus” get rich. We give them our money.
I never had a problem with Vick’s past. I was aware of it but it had nothing to do with my decision to join his team. We all have a past and I believe in giving people chances to prove themselves.
My issues with BIM, EN and Vick:
1. Stop creating products and not finishing them. Finish something.
2. Don’t tell people how much you are going to help them; selling them on your dream then ditch them when the ship starts to sink.
3. EN is MLM. Period. Stop with the foolery. Those products (and I use that term loosely) sold through EN are outdated.
4. EN was on its way out and Vick came in and saved it. BIM was over 25,000 members in under 2 years. EN top leaders were jealous of Vick.
5. I do not trust Vick’s business partner Nick. I didn’t know anything about his past and I knew from day one that something just wasn’t right with him. Vick made a huge mistake partnering with him.
6. EN leadership is phony. All that lock arm garbage. I felt like I was in a cult. Instead of standing behind Vick and supporting him most of the leaders turned their back on their “brother” when all this jumped off.
The same brother that saved that sorry excuse for a company from sinking 2 years ago now has daggers and knife wounds in his back. No one was checking for Empower until Vick came on the scene.
Vick the prick is at it again with High Traffic Academy. Come on Oz take that sucker down!
It looks like Vick is getting ready to pounce on his next unsuspecting beginners.
HTA is in full swing but curiously he sent out an email recently to his second video and what a suprise it cannot be access and just shows the coming soon which is familiar to anyone in BIM.
It still really saddens me though how many people are sucked in by his stuff. I watched his first video and it contains very little information aside from him thanking god and saying he is blessed when people succeed from his teachings, an he loves to be blessed!
What’s confusing me is that his HTA page already has over 1,800 comments and all of them are “Great video Vick cannot wait for the second” or similar.
You have a lot more reach than I do in this field Oz and you know Vicks strategy as with BIM.
He will suck you in with a compliant site with his usual unfinished bullshit then he will get the fee from his members to continue his unfinished site so they keep paying past the 30 day return period and then he will introduce an opportunity (who knows what this could be yet) and get all his members to join him in it and promote HTA as the funnel.
Finally he will do the technique to change all the referrals links to his own over the course of a few months and basically have all his members as slave laborers for his financial gain.
Surely he cannot continue to scam the thousands of people out there with this method again. There must be a way to get him to spend the rest of his time in prison for what he’s done.
Use this link to bypass the name and email he asks for:
hightrafficacademy.com/7steps/?uid=29828&id=536323&aid=535#
All we need to do is get on there where his FB comments feed is and show them his past con man methods.
(Networkers of the world unite)
I just had a very interesting and partially threatening chat with the man himself (shown below)
Comments welcome.
Take a look at this. It looks like Vicks latest venture is a 50/50 partnership with someone by the name of Mr Jason McClain.
The link below is the company registrar form for a British comapany by the name of High Traffic Academy Ltd
beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09525973/officers
The login page shows Regent Street, London which is a company that provides Virtual Offices from $15 per month.
Update on HTA. It seems to have started charging for membership now in line with Vicks masterplan (recipe of a con man on FB Group Stop Vick Strizhaus)
Source:
How can guys like this get away with this kind of thing over and over?