Sol People Review: Awakend reboots with new execs
Sol People emerged about a fortnight ago. At the time all we knew was Sol People was an Awakend reboot, headed up by co-CEOs Ashlee Headlee James and Whitney Rose.
Although he’s put others in charge through executive title, Awakend owner Rodney James is believed to still own and ultimately call the shots within Sol People.
Awakend was one of the more memorable MLM launches over the past few years.
Originally a silly NFT gimmick combined with a product whose right to manufacture was still hotly disputed, by the time Awakend resembled a “ready to launch” MLM company the damage was already done.
Danelle Meoli, the face of Awakend, disappeared and the company limped along rudderless for most of 2022 and 2023. The bungled Q Sciences acquisition appears to have been the final nail in Awakend’s coffin.
As to Sol People’s new co-CEOs, Ashlee Headlee is known to BehindMLM as the person who put together Awakend’s doctored Zenith study.
Whitney Rose stars in Bravo’s Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHoSLC). Rose’s RHoSLC bio cites her as “a descendant of Mormon royalty”.
On the MLM side of things Whitney is married to Justin Rose, former President of Awakend. Prior to Awakend Rose was Chief Sales Officer at LifeVantage.
In 2018 a class-action was filed against LifeVantage. The suit alleged Lifevantage was a pyramid scheme selling snake oil. The suit fizzled out in April 2022 after class-certification was denied.
On a 2022 episode of RHoSLC, Justin told Whitney Lifevantage had fired him over concerns about the reality show.
On The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Justin was seen telling Whitney that he had been let go and that his boss at LifeVantage had expressed “concerns” about Whitney’s fame due to her role on the TV show.
“He said how much he appreciated the work I had done but, ‘With Whitney being a public figure, I just didn’t see how we were going to be able to make this continue to work,'” he said. “That was how the conversation started.”
Justin also has prior executive experience at Shaklee and Nu Skin and Shaklee.
Sol People, its founder and executives are all based out of Utah in the US.
Read on for a full review of Sol People’s MLM opportunity.
Sol People’s Products
Sol People markets a range of wellness, skincare and digital course products.
Wellness
- Sol Vibe – “new-Science energy and advanced nootropics unlock limitless energy, flow, and focus”, retails at $98 for a bottle of 90 capsules
- Sol Glo – “youth-enhancing, inside-out beauty, cellular hydration”, retails at $109 for a bottle of 30 servings
Skincare
Sol People’s skincare range is branded “Wild Rose Beauty”. Wild Rose Beauty was a standalone company fronted by Whitney Rose.
Marketing on Wild Rose Beauty’s website confirms the company’s products have been rolled into Sol People.
- Daily Cleanser – “a feel-good clean without harsh chemicals”, retails at $43 for a 4 oz bottle
- Daily Toner – “4-in-1 toner that exfoliates, hydrates, tones, and tightens skin”, retails at $43 for a 3oz bottle
- Oxygen Peptide Serum – “hydrates, firms, repairs, restores, evens, tones, and more!”, retails at $76 for a 1 oz bottle
- Daily Glow Moisturizer – “daily hydration solution that’s perfect for all skin types”, retails at $87 for a 1.5 oz bottle
Digital Courses
- Sol Love – “designed to foster a deep connection with your higher self, guiding you through a transformative journey of self-discovery and inner peace”, retails at $55
- Sol Mindset Manifestation – “manifest a life you’re completely obsessed with!”, retails at $111
- Sol Digital Wealth Blueprint – “your ultimate guide to mastering the digital world”, retails at $222
Sol People’s Compensation Plan
Sol People combines retail commissions with rank-based monthly residuals.
To qualify for MLM commissions Sol People affiliates are required to purchase products each month.
Sol People Affiliate Ranks
There are twenty-six affiliate ranks within Sol People’s compensation plan.
Along with their respective qualification criteria, they are as follows:
- Affiliate – sign up as a Sol People affiliate and generate and maintain 125 PV a month
- Sol L1 – recruit two Affiliates or higher and generate and maintain 125 PV and 375 GV a month
- Sol L2 – maintain two personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 125 PV a month and generate 750 GV a month
- Sol L3 – maintain two personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 125 PV a month and generate 1500 GV a month
- Sol L4 – maintain two personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 125 PV a month and generate 2500 GV a month
- Sol L5 – maintain two personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 125 PV a month and generate 4500 GV a month
- Sol 7K – maintain two personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 125 PV a month and generate 7000 GV a month
- Sol 10K – maintain two personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 125 PV a month and generate 10,000 GV a month
- Sol 17K – maintain two personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 125 PV a month and generate 17,000 GV a month
- Sol 25K – recruit three Affiliates or higher and generate 250 PV and 25,000 GV a month
- Sol 35K – maintain three personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 35,000 GV a month
- Sol 50K – maintain three personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 50,000 GV a month
- Sol 75K – maintain three personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 75,000 GV a month
- Sol 100K – recruit four Affiliates or higher, maintain 250 PV a month and generate 100,000 GV a month
- Sol 150K – maintain four personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 150,000 GV a month
- Sol 200K – maintain four personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 200,000 GV a month
- Sol 275K – maintain four personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 275,000 GV a month
- Sol 350K – recruit five Affiliates or higher, maintain 250 PV a month and generate 350,000 GV a month
- Sol 425K – maintain five personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 425,000 GV a month
- Sol 500K – maintain five personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 500,000 GV a month
- Sol 675K – maintain five personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 675,000 GV a month
- Sol 750K – recruit six Affiliates or higher, maintain 250 PV a month and generate 750,000 GV a month
- Sol 1M – maintain six personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 1,000,000 GV a month
- Sol 1.5M – recruit seven Affiliates or higher, maintain 250 PV a month and generate 1,500,000 GV a month
- Sol 2M – maintain seven personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 2,000,000 GV a month
- Sol 3M – maintain seven personally recruited Affiliates or higher, 250 PV a month and generate 3,000,000 GV a month
PV stands for “Personal Volume”. PV is generated via sales to retail customers and a Sol People affiliate’s own orders.
It should be noted that to qualify for MLM commissions, Sol People affiliates must purchase required PV each month. Retail generated PV doesn’t count.
GV stands for “Group Volume”. GV is the sum total of a Sol People affiliate’s PV and that of their downline.
Not that required GV is capped per recruitment leg based on rank:
- Sol L1 to L4 = no more than 60% of required GV from any one recruitment leg
- Sol L5 to 17K = no more than 50% of required GV from any one recruitment leg
- Sol 25K and higher = no more than 40% of required GV from any one recruitment leg
Retail Commissions
Sol People pays a sliding 10% to 40% commission on sales to retail customers.
- generate 1 to 249 PV a month and receive a 10% retail commission rate
- generate 250 to 499 PV a month and receive a 20% retail commission rate
- generate 500 to 999 PV a month and receive a 25% retail commission rate
- generate 1000 to 2499 PV a month and receive a 30% retail commission rate
- generate 2500 PV or more a month and receive a 40% retail commission rate
Recruitment Commissions
Sol People pays recruitment commissions on affiliates recruited who sign up with an Starter Pack.
Both Starter Pack costs and recruitment commission amounts are not disclosed.
Residual Commissions
Sol People pays residual commissions monthly tied to rank:
- qualify at Sol L1 and receive $60 a month
- qualify at Sol L2 and receive $125 a month
- qualify at Sol L3 and receive $250 a month
- qualify at Sol L4 and receive $400 a month
- qualify at Sol L5 and receive $750 a month
- qualify at Sol 7K and receive $1250 a month
- qualify at Sol 10K and receive $1700 a month
- qualify at Sol 17K and receive $3000 a month
- qualify at Sol 25K and receive $4250 a month
- qualify at Sol 35K and receive $5750 a month
- qualify at Sol 50K and receive $8000 a month
- qualify at Sol 75K and receive $12,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 100K and receive $15,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 150K and receive $20,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 200K and receive $25,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 275K and receive $35,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 350K and receive $45,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 425K and receive $55,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 500K and receive $65,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 675K and receive $85,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 750K and receive $90,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 1M and receive $120,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 1.5M and receive $160,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 2M and receive $220,000 a month
- qualify at Sol 3M and receive $350,000 a month
Fast Start Bonus
The Fast Start Bonus rewards Sol People affiliates for qualifying at Sol L1 to L4 within their first month of signing up.
- qualify at Sol L1 and receive $50 and another $150 if rank is maintained the next month
- qualify at Sol L2 and receive another $50 and another $150 if rank is maintained the next month
- qualify at Sol L3 and receive another $150 and another $450 if rank is maintained the next month
- qualify at Sol L4 and receive another $200 and another $600 if rank is maintained the next month
Joining Sol People
Sol People affiliate membership costs are hidden from consumers.
Sol People Conclusion
While Sol People’s problems aren’t as severe as Awakend’s at launch, both Sol People’s products and MLM opportunity are nonetheless still problematic.
Absent from Sol People’s product lineup is Awakend’s Zenith, the weight loss supplement that completely ruined Awakend’s launch. In Zenith’s place we have Vibe and Glo.
Glo is a collagen drink, easy to price compare. Vibe purportedly containing a “a clinical dose of Paraxanthine” caught my eye. A “clinical dose” of anything implies medicine, with Sol People’s Vibe is not registered with the FDA as.
So what is Paraxanthine? Long story short; Paraxanthine is what caffeine turns to when you ingest it.
Paraxanthine, also known as 1,7-dimethylxanthine, is a metabolite of theophylline and theobromine, two well-known stimulants found in coffee, tea, and chocolate mainly in the form of caffeine.
Shortly after ingestion, roughly 84% of caffeine is metabolized into paraxanthine …
Paraxanthine supplements are readily available and, from what I can see, much cheaper than Vibe.
I figure if Whitney Rose’s Wild Rose Beauty products were selling well stand-alone, they’ll continue to sell well in Sol People. If they weren’t selling well, they’ll no doubt get a boost.
This leads us into Sol People’s problematic compensation plan but before we get into that I want to go over Sol People’s digital product courses.
Without knowing what’s in the courses I can’t really comment on specifics. What we can go over though is who is behind the courses.
Sol Mindset Manifestation is “guided” by Megan DeSart.
This course is guided by Megan DeSart, an entrepreneur, Manifestation Business Coach and online course Educator who has dedicated herself to helping people transform their lives through this work.
Meagan has been an entrepreneur for the past 10 years in the network marketing & coaching space becoming a 7-figure earner & growing social media followings of over 150K.
She has built teams of thousands around the world, created online courses specifically helping female entrepreneurs use manifestation & wealth energetics to create high cash months in their business.
In other words, DeSart has been around the block and should be able to spot a fraudulent business model.
Yet a quick search on DeSart reveals she was a promoter of the recently collapsed Infinity Processing System.
If DeSart can’t admit Infinity Processing System is an illegal gifting scheme she stole a bunch of money through, I don’t think she’s someone anyone should be taking “manifestation coaching” lessons from.
The Sol Digital Wealth Blueprint course is put together by Mariel Filippone, Brittany Hitch, Claudia Gonzalez and Kristen Wyatt.
We know these four as former Q Sciences distributors and co-founders of The Digital Course gifting scheme.
Originally The Digital Course was being pushed onto the co-founders Q Sciences. That fell apart around the time Rodney James was trying to acquire Q Sciences.
Today there’s this disclaimer on The Digital Course’s website;
IF YOU ARE AN ACTIVE AMBASSADOR WITH Q SCIENCES, YOU MAY NOT PURCHASE ANY OF OUR DIGITAL PRODUCTS WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF Q SCIENCES COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT.
Having drained Q Sciences dry, now we appear to have Sol People recruits being funnelled into The Digital Course.
Finally we have Sol Love, run by Lauren Dorsey.
Practice powerful techniques like breathwork, visualization, EFT tapping and other somatic release techniques to release negative emotions and reinforce positive beliefs about yourself.
EFT tapping, or emotional freedom techniques tapping, is certified placebo backed by nothing.
In addition to running a “wellness studio” (which outside of Sol People I don’t hold against her, if people want to pay for placebos that on them), Dorsey was around for Awakend’s failed launch.
After Awakend flopped Dorsey, surprise surprise, fell down the “master resell rights” rabbithole. I wasn’t able to peg Dorsey to IPS or The Digital Course but she was still shilling random MRR products as of December 2023.
Seems Dorsey has gone through the inevitable MRR exhaustion and has returned to MLM. Dorsey was promoting Frequense as of January 2024.
Before Awakend back in 2022, Dorsey promoted Bioreigns and My Daily Choice (Hempworx).
Moving on to Sol People’s compensation plan, forcing affiliates to purchase product each month guarantees company-wide Sol People will operate as an autoship recruitment scheme.
In order to qualify for MLM commissions a Sol People affiliate must be both qualified and active.
A Brand Partner is considered personally active when they purchase 125PV in a rolling 30 day period.
Brand Partners become Qualified by personally sponsoring two Active Brand Partners.
Purchase 125 PV a month (99.9% of which will be an autoship order), and recruit two others who do the same. Yeah this is your classic MLM pyramid scheme model.
The only way Sol People doesn’t operate as a pyramid scheme is if everyone who qualifies for MLM commissions is also selling 125 PV or more in retail volume each and every month.
There’s 0% chance of that happening.
The last FTC Act violation I’ll point out is Sol People hiding joining costs unless consumers hand over personal data:
This is a disclosure failure, leaving consumers unable to make an informed decision about joining Sol People.
- forced purchase compensation plan (this alone is a showstopper)
- illegal gifting scheme baggage through the courses (one can only imagine what’s being “taught”)
- expensive digested caffeine pills with FDA violating “clinical dose” marketing
- affiliate joining costs not disclosed (FTC Act)
At least there’s no product patent issues or NFT nonsense this time around. Still, based on the above points: easy avoid.
Sol people is going to be a huge disaster.
Started Packs:
Daily Routine Pack (Skincare)- $199 (1 of each)
Vibe & Thrive Pack- $275
Digital Course Pack- $375
Radiant Sol Pack- $379
Sol Products Starter Pack- $415
Elite Founding Brand Partner Pack- $1,475
Mind you, no products are shipping until late July. What a joke!
The vibe is the awakened perfect they called uplift. Just rebranded.
They gave us 2 capsules to try at convention. Which were great. Then they did the bait & switch and sold us 3 capsule formula.
When asked why. They said they couldn’t fit it all in 2 capsules. Weird… you fit it in 2 at convention.
They also have spoke about the unwind spray a spray to help sleep coming to sol.
And we even got an email saying zenith was on sale right one before the REBRANDED it in sol.