WakeUpNow

Last updated
WakeUpNow
Founded2009;15 years ago (2009)
FounderShaun Goodison
DefunctFebruary 16, 2015 (2015-02-16)
Headquarters,
United States
Websitewakeupnow.com

WakeUpNow was a multi-level marketing company based in Provo, Utah, that sold products and services focused on health and financial management. It was founded in 2009 by Troy Muhlestein. The company ceased operations in the United States on February 16, 2015. [1]

Contents

Products

WakeUpNow sold products focused around the concept of health and financial management using a multi-level marketing model. Offered products included WUN Fit, Thunder (energy drink), WUN MD (telemedicine), Awaken drinks, WUN Finance (personal financial management), Taxbot (Tax software), WUN Protect (identity theft protection), and Vacation Club (travel discount program). [2]

Truth in Advertising's review of the organization found that some of the products offered by joining its program are available for free or lower cost elsewhere on the Internet and that the organization as of September 2014 has had 160 complaints to the Federal Trade Commission. [3]

History

WakeUpNow was founded in 2009 by Troy Muhlestein. [4]

About 95% of distributors in WakeUpNow failed to make a profit in the program in 2013. [5] [6]

In a letter written by CEO Phil Polich on February 16, 2015, WUN announced it would cease all network marketing operations due to poor management by former CEO Kirby Cochran citing, "his decisions for a privileged few outweighed the incredible heart and dedication of the many". [7] Pyramid scheme expert Robert FitzPatrick has said that WakeUpNow's closure was typical of multi-level marketing companies, and that prior to being ousted Cochran had been presented as a "godlike figure" by the company. [1] [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amway</span> American multi-level marketing company

Amway is an American multi-level marketing (MLM) company that sells health, beauty, and home care products. The company was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos and is based in Ada, Michigan. Amway and its sister companies under Alticor reported sales of $8.9 billion in 2019. It is the largest multi-level marketing company in the world by revenue. It conducts business through a number of affiliated companies in more than a hundred countries and territories.

Xango, LLC, was a privately owned Lehi, Utah-based multi-level marketing company founded in 2002. It was acquired by Zija International in May 2017.

Forever Living Products is a multi-level marketing company which was founded in 1980 in Tempe, Arizona by Rex Maughan. The company has reported a network of 9.3 million distributors and revenue of $4 billion in 2021, and in 2006 they reported having 4,100 employees.

Nature's Sunshine Products, Incorporated, also known as "NSP", is a manufacturer of dietary supplements, including herbs, vitamins, minerals, and personal care products. It is based in Lehi, Utah, with a manufacturing facility in Spanish Fork, Utah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juice Plus</span> Line of dietary supplements

Juice Plus is a branded line of dietary supplements. It is produced by Natural Alternatives International of San Marcos, California, for National Safety Associates. Introduced in 1993, the supplements are distributed by NSA via multi-level marketing. Juice Plus supplements contain fruit and vegetable juice extracts with added vitamins and nutrients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Direct Selling Association</span> U.S.-based national trade association

The Direct Selling Association (DSA) is a trade association in the United States that represents direct selling companies, primarily those that use multi-level marketing compensation plans. On behalf of its members' companies, the DSA engages in public relations and lobbying efforts against regulation of the multi-level marketing industry, and it funds political candidates through a political action committee.

Multi-level marketing (MLM), also called network marketing or pyramid selling, is a controversial marketing strategy for the sale of products or services in which the revenue of the MLM company is derived from a non-salaried workforce selling the company's products or services, while the earnings of the participants are derived from a pyramid-shaped or binary compensation commission system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaklee</span> Multi-level marketing vitamin distributor

Shaklee Corporation is an American manufacturer and multi-level marketing distributor of natural nutrition supplements, weight-management products, beauty products, and household products. The company is based in Pleasanton, California with global operations in Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MonaVie</span> Multi-level marketing company

MonaVie is a defunct, American multi-level marketing company that manufactured and distributed products made from blended fruit juice concentrates, powders, and purées. The company was the subject of several controversies. Health claims for its products had not been scientifically confirmed or approved by regulatory authorities, and its chairman had been previously involved in false health claims concerning another beverage company. According to Forbes, MonaVie's business plan resembled a pyramid scheme. In 2015, the company defaulted on a US$182 million loan and went into foreclosure. Florida-based Jeunesse Global took over MonaVie’s assets when it purchased the note for $15 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AdvoCare</span> American dietary supplement company

AdvoCare International, LLC is an American dietary supplement company. They are a direct sales company and a former multi-level marketing company that was charged with operating a pyramid scheme. The company, headquartered in Richardson, TX, was founded in 1993 by Charles Ragus.

Market America is a multi-level marketing company founded in 1992 by JR and Loren Ridinger. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the company employed around 800 people as of 2016. The products offered by the company include household cleaning supplies, jewelry, personal care products, auto care, cosmetics, dietary supplements, custom websites, water purifiers, and weight management products. A 2017 lawsuit accused the company of being an illegal pyramid scheme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ViSalus</span> American multi-level marketing company

Vi is an American multilevel marketing (MLM) company based in Los Angeles, California, with offices in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The company is mostly known for the Body by Vi 90-Day Challenge platform. The company markets weight management nutritional products, dietary supplements and energy drinks in the United States, Canada, Italy and United Kingdom. Weight management products, including Vi-Shape meal replacement shake and Vi-Trim Clear Control Drink Mix, form the bulk of the company's sales.

VemmaNutrition Company was a privately held multi-level marketing company that sold dietary supplements. The company was shut down in 2015 by the FTC for engaging in deceptive practices and being a pyramid scheme.

Solavei was a social commerce network offering contract-free mobile service in the United States, known for its use of incentivized referral plans and its social network advertising program. In addition to its mobile phone services, Solavei operated a social commerce network for its users. Ryan Wuerch founded the company in 2012. As of 2013, Solavei had 140 employees and was valued by investors at $120 million. The company has been described as a multi-level marketing (MLM) company, or of being very similar to a MLM company.

Young Living is a multi-level marketing company based in Lehi, Utah. Founded by Donald Gary Young in 1993, it sells essential oils and other related products.

doTerra is a multi-level marketing company based in Pleasant Grove, Utah, that sells essential oils and other related products. doTerra was founded in 2008 by former executives of Young Living and others. The company's products are sold through independent distributors called Wellness Advocates, using a multi-level marketing model to sell its products. Distributors are eligible to receive commissions based on their own sales and the sales of others in their organization.

Scentsy is an American multi-level marketing company based in Meridian, Idaho that sells scented products including wax warmers and other home and body products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Younique</span> American multi-level marketing company

Younique is an American multi-level marketing company (MLM) that markets beauty products. The company was founded in 2012 by Derek Maxfield, who is CEO, and Melanie Huscroft, and is headquartered in Lehi, Utah. Between 2017 and 2019, Younique was 60% owned by Coty, Inc. In 2019, Coty sold their share of the business back to Maxfield and Huscroft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Oxygen Organics</span> Defunct multi-level marketing company

Black Oxygen Organics was a Canadian multi-level marketing (MLM) company which sold dirt at a price of US$110 per package to customers in Canada and the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 McDonald, Amy. "How Provo-based MLM "WakeUpNow" failed". The Daily Herald (Provo, Utah). Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  2. WakeUpNow (10 July 2014). "Wake Up Now Products". wakeupnow.com. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  3. Truth in Advertising (8 September 2014). "Wake Up Now's Secret: Things You Need to Know about this MLM". truthinadvertising.org. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  4. Harvey, Tom (19 February 2015). "Provo multilevel company shuts down, sues CEO for alleged mismanagement, self-dealing". The Salt Lake Tribune. MediaNews Group. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 Glass, Ira (26 December 2014). "Wake Up Now". This American Life . Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  6. "Wake Up Now Income Disclosure". 13 February 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  7. Phil Polich (16 February 2015). "Letter from CEO". Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.