businessforhome-logo“Why can’t you be more like BusinessForHome?”

About once a month, sometimes more, sometimes less, I get asked the above question or a derivative of it.

The implication behind the question is that I tend to focus purely on what is perceived to be “negative” viewpoints, which is reflected in the content published on BehindMLM.

And that’s a fair call.

While I don’t perceive information strictly in a positive and negative sense, by far the bulk stories we cover would probably fall in the latter category.

I assure you however this isn’t by design. I’m far from running around the internet intentionally digging up stories that paint the MLM industry in the worst light possible.

Rather that’s the nature of a free press. It’s “news”, it’s what we report on. Information that goes deeper than what’s evident on the surface is what people want to read about.

As an MLM blogger I see my role in the industry as keeping readers informed. To me personally, that doesn’t equate to republishing spammy press-releases or working in cahootz with MLM companies to publish advertising material.

I wish I could say the same about other bloggers in the MLM niche.

BusinessForHome is a website operated by Direct Selling Global News LTD, a “Seychelles limited partnership based out of Hong Kong with a
principal place of business located (in the) Netherlands”.

ted-nuyten-businessforhomeTed Nuyten (right) is the CEO of Direct Selling Global News LTD.

Despite this, there is no mention of Direct Selling Global News LTD on the BusinessForHome website:

The Business For Home.org website is an initiative of Ted Nuyten, CEO and Chairman of the Business For Home Foundation, which is established in year 2007, in the Netherlands under Dutch law and Dini Noorlander, acting as Chief Relations Officer.

Direct Selling Global News LTD has however appeared on BehindMLM, as the entity behind BitCoin Economy.

BitCoin Economy was a chain-recruitment scheme launched in early 2014. It has since collapsed.

In my January 2014 BitCoin Economy review, I did note Nuyten’s promotion of the scheme on BusinessForHome. However at the time I was unaware he was the owner of Direct Selling Global News LTD.

Nor, to the best of my knowledge, was this ever disclosed either to myself after the review was published or on the BusinessForHome website.

Ted Nuyten seemingly launching chain-recruitment schemes however is not what I want to discuss today.

This morning a copy of BusinessForHome’s “IN THE SPOTLIGHT” SERVICE AGREEMENT” came across my desk:

in-the-spotlight-service-agreement-businessforhome

Dated October 1st, 2015, the agreement appears to be a contract put together by BusinessForHome.

Before I go on, I’ll acknowledge that to some extent BusinessForHome do acknowledge their content may border on marketing spam:

At times we publish interviews with top earners and corporate executives and place them in the spotlight. (You need to have a great story)

Turns out however that you don’t need a great story at all. Just $36,000.

In exchange for $36,000 a year, BusinessForHome will

post to its website at and other social media websites, under its ownership and control, feature articles referred to as “In the Spotlight” articles.

An In the Spotlight article is a feature of the BFH website that highlights a Direct Selling company in a positive manner.

• BFH will coordinate the publishing of all In the Spotlight articles and features;

Articles are defined as positive and non-disparaging information and reviews concerning Company. Such articles shall be published through the BFH website and to recipients in the BFH newsletter database.

A minimum of four+ (4+) articles per month which could be produced in cooperation with Company’s marketing department.

• BFH will provide Company with an opportunity to review the content prior to publishing.

Company will have seven (7) business days to review and approve all articles.

The contract can either be paid annually at $36,000 or monthly at $4000 ($48,000 annually).

And if an MLM company wants out before the year is up – they are slugged with a $15,000 exit fee:

In the event this agreement is terminated prior to the first anniversary date, there shall be a penalty payment owed by Company in the amount of $15,000 or the remaining amount due under the contract, whichever is less.

“Less” would have to see a client cancel the BusinessForHome agreement after seven months ($21,000 paid).

In a nutshell, you pay Ted Nuyten $3000 to $4000 a month and you can be rest assured any critical, controversial or “negative” information about your company will not be reported.

And not only for the duration fees are paid for, but also twelve months thereafter:

Prohibited Publications.

BFH shall not publish or cause to be published any negative, disparaging, or false articles, opinions, or other statement regarding Company to BFH owned, operated or maintained websites, newsletters, or other media during the term of this Agreement and for a period of one year after termination of this Agreement.

No negative articles, no negative opinions, no negative statements whatsoever. A complete whitewash of information.

Individuals can purchase a similar service for a $1500 “investment”, which gets them an ‘in depth review or interview‘.

That this is the publishing policy of one of the largest, if not the largest MLM blogs out there – is pretty depressing.

As to how many companies are paying Ted Nuyten $36,000 a year for coverage, I have no idea.

But it does place a big question mark on coverage of major events taking place within the MLM industry.

The objective (BusinessForHome) is to show the “outside” world, Direct Selling, Network Marketing, MLM is a great way to earn an honest living with unlimited potential.

Does that still hold true if a company has paid thousands of dollars for “positive coverage”?

Disclosure wise I was unable to find any trace of what MLM companies BusinessForHome have as clients. No articles on the website disclose the content is paid for.

Financial disclosure as a general rule is a good idea. But when you’re charging 3500+ “subscribers” (your readers) $37.50 a year, $57.50 for every two years or $77 every five years, it’s inexcusable.

Furthermore this paid artificial content is then pushed on the MLM industry at large via social media. I’m sure we’ve all seen BusinessForHome articles pop up on Facebook and other networks, often cited as a credible and independent source of MLM news.

All said and done, am I suggesting you don’t read BusinessForHome?

No, of course not. Lord knows there’s far too much news in the MLM industry for me to cover by myself.

But beyond the meaningless popularity polls (easily the biggest traffic drawcard for the site), have a look at the actual substance of what is published there.

Facts are facts and myself and Ted Nuyten are probably the biggest MLM bloggers around at the moment.

Nuyten has a staff roster who publish content to BusinessForHome, with articles he puts together sprinkled in every other day.

Source-information gathering here at BehindMLM is often a collective effort with readers, however I myself sit down and pen each and every article that goes live.

No money changes hands, I have no clients and I work for myself on all facets of day-to-day operations at BehindMLM. It’s a lot of work and I often find myself pulling six or seven-day weeks.

This is how I’ve run the site for nearly six years and I enjoy doing what I do.

The difference between these two approaches ultimately doesn’t matter, provided what is published maintains the integrity of the “MLM news” niche.

As a voice with some weight in that niche, I have to call out BusinessForHome’s conduct regarding paid content as anything but.

Think about that $36,000 fee the next time you rush to repost a BusinessForHome article on Facebook, or send me an email asking me why I’m not “more like Ted Nuyten”.