Has a failed merger with M Network rung the Death Knell for Jamberry?

Posted by
Spread the word!

Elle-small[Elle:] In current MLM news, we understand that the multi-level marketing (MLM) company known as  ‘Jamberry’ appears to be in a significant spot of bother, following rumours of a failed merger attempt with fellow-MLM company ‘M Network‘.

At least, that’s what /r/antiMLM and our UK-based informant ‘Penny’ tells us.

If you are a Jamberry consultant affected by the following news, please contact us for advice, help, and support.


Before I hand over to Penny, you may be curious — what is Jamberry? 

In the simplest terms possible, it is an MLM that predominantly sells nail wraps, amongst various other beauty products. Here’s what a rep-made image on Pinterest has to say:

A quick browse for product images on Pinterest yielded this kind of jolly-looking result:

According to their official website, Jamberry was ‘conceived’ in 2010 by three sisters; Lyndsey Ekstrom, Christy Hepworth and Keri Evans: “Realizing that a slow and expensive visit to the nail salon could be something much more, they came up with the idea for a line of do-it-yourself nail wraps…[entering] the beauty sphere in early 2011 with a social selling business model…”

Christy’s husband, Adam Hepworth, is also listed as a co-founder. Interestingly, all were “born and raised in Utah” — the US-state that our Mormon guest-writer Little Kotori describes as being the home of “…Nu SkindoTERRAYoung Living, Thrive Life, Younique, and probably dozens of other MLMs that I am unaware of…

[Source:] 8 Things to be Aware of in Utah — theodysseyonline.com

Based in Lindon, UT and operating in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, Jamberry recruits independent distributors (typically referred to by the firm as “consultants”) to sell nail wraps via the direct sales/social media marketing/MLM business model.

Jamberry says they “offer one of the most generous compensation plans in the industry” (funnily enough, our friends at MONAT said something very similar in our “What’s Going On With MONAT” article). It also urges people to check out their “We Love Jamberry” video on YouTube — I sat through all 4:03 minutes of it. There was a lot of talking, yes…all whilst saying very little. Play Timeless Vie’s MLM Bingo whilst you watch it — you may get a full house.

A perusal of their website says that a consultant can earn “up to 40% [commission] on Retail Volume” — it also comes with a variety of confusing-as-hell “compensation plans” which talk about “Active Legs, TQV and DQV”, all on the mission to bamboozle prospective recruits, I’m sure. 

No wonder their consultants’ maths is a little ‘off’.

Emma[Emma:] I tried to find a decent Income Disclosure for them, but all I could really see was this Statement of Earnings for USA and Canada presenters from 2015: Jamberry StatementOfEarnings-USCA 2015. Here is an extract from the document.

Jamberry Statement of Earnings (USA/CA) 2015 [Source: CDN.Jamberry.com]
Elle-small[Elle:] Thanks Emma. I was also particularly interested in the little statement at the bottom of this document.

“The earnings of the Consultants in this chart are not necessarily representative of the income, if any, that a Consultant can or will earn through her/his Jamberry business. These figures should not be considered as guarantees or projections of your actual earnings or profits. As a Jamberry Consultant, you are responsible for your own success which requires work, planning, relationships, and customer care.…”

See that? “…not necessarily representative of the income, if any, that a Consultant can or will earn…”

Yet, people are still climbing up the walls to join these schemes. 🙁

Although Jamberry’s bread-and-butter seems to be nail wraps, they also sell lacquers, gels, and even extend to brow, lip and hair care products.

Jamberry Products [Source: Pinterest]
So what is this trouble we hear of in the Jamberry camp? That’s where I’ll hand you over to Penny.

Before reading Penny’s article, please remind yourself that all views presented in this blog are as told to us by the authors, and simply reflect their own opinions based on what they have witnessed/experienced. Your own personal experiences with multi-level marketing companies may differ, negatively or positively. All names and identifying details have been changed at the author’s request.


cropped-mlm.jpg[Penny:] Thank you, Elle. Ok, I will try to give you as much of an overview as I can as lots seems to be happening in a short space of time and is getting increasingly complicated! I’m focusing on details affecting Jamberry as a whole rather than individual circumstances of consultants I am connected to — my upline is a very close friend, and I knew a lot of the other consultants in our group before signing up myself — so want to keep them all out of it as they are all lovely and not hunbot-ish at all! Forgive me if this becomes long…

At the end of May, Jamberry announced they would be merging with the M Network, using a cryptic YouTube video entitled “M + Jamberry!“. I’d never heard of them but they are another MLM who sell ‘hydration supplements’ (aka energy drink things) at the moment (but are looking to branch out into other products).

This was presented to Jamberry consultants as a “super-exciting opportunity” and the M CEO, Ryan Anderson, was soon being touted as a god-like, benevolent being around the various chat groups.

Ryan Anderson, M Network CEO [Source: MNetwork.com]
We were told that all Jamberry consultants would “move to the M compensation plan” and that “this merger would happen on 1st June and more details would follow“. But this was already 22nd May, so seemed strange that nothing had been said earlier, or more details hadn’t been given.

Meanwhile, I need to tell you about Jamberry’s subscription service, called ‘StyleBox’ — you pay £28 a month, get a 2 exclusive nail wrap designs, and can add additional products for no extra shipping costs. I liked the June designs, so signed up for this for the very first time.

Jamberry StyleBox on Pinterest

You sign up the month before and it is shipped from the USA on the first of the month — so in my case, I signed up in May, added a couple of additional products, and Jamberry took the money at the end of May and sent me a shipping confirmation email on 1 June.

At the time of this going to press (21 June), my StyleBox has still not arrived — and to the best of my knowledge, neither has anybody else’s! At first, Jamberry HQ claimed “there was a problem with dispatch” and that they “would all be released shortly“.

They then started offering 10% discount codes to people who complained. They refused refunds to anyone who asked for one. Last week in our Facebook “team chats”, it came out that Jamberry are apparently in debt to most of their warehouses worldwide, and these warehouses are refusing to release the orders they are holding on Jamberry’s behalf until the debts are paid. So, hundreds of customers are out of pocket right now as their StyleBoxes are being ‘held hostage’. I emailed to request a refund for mine on Monday — and have received no response.

Back to this “super-exciting” merger. The 1st of June came and went and there was no further news on it. Executives from Jamberry and Ryan from M did a number of “roadshows” in the US for consultants, talking about their “amazing new opportunity“. Jamberry consultants were offered the M ‘Go Energy stiks’ (yes that is how it’s spelled 🙄) at ‘wholesale price’, whatever that is.

M Network’s Go Energy Stiks [Source: MNetwork.com]
It was talked of as “a done deal” and “a case of when not if“. In our Facebook team chats, the uplines spoke of rumours, rumours, and more rumours. Predominantly, how they heard that “many of Jamberry’s Head Office staff have been fired in the process of the merger” (let’s call this a takeover — that’s more honest).

10th June was discussed as a start date for moving Jamberry consultants over. That didn’t happen either. Jamberry’s chief executives stopped communicating with consultants at all by last weekend (circa 16th June).

Then last night the ‘Elite Lead Consultants’ — who all have to sign non-disclosure contracts with Jamberry — collectively released and published a video under Rachel Huse called ‘Message from Leadership Team‘ with what they ‘believe to be the facts’. At 1:26 minutes in, they inform us that the merger is off, as they ‘reached out to Ryan [Anderson]’ who confirmed to them that ‘Jamberry had rejected his final offer’.

Still from ‘Message from Leadership Team’ on YouTube, 19 June 2018

We don’t really know exactly what that means…” they admitted. “But what we do know is…that Ryan is no longer allowed to reach out to us…”

The Elites made this video because nobody is communicating with them anymore either, not even Jamberry themselves. The radio silence from whoever is behind Jamberry these days was making them increasingly uncomfortable, and they felt that consultants needed to know what was going on.

In my opinion, the company is clearly in big trouble and about to go under, but NOBODY from Head Office will admit this or provide any sort of information to the consultants. But consultants are the ones who have customers with missing orders, who they are now having to advise to claim through their credit card companies. I have lost about £60 through non-delivery of my StyleBox, but for others, it is hundreds of pounds!

All Jamberry info is disseminated by video (usually Facebook lives) which is weird in itself. The subsequent silence from them is deafening.

In the void left behind for the consultants who live and breathe Jamberry, Ryan Anderson is being revered as the saviour. The Elite Lead Consultants have asked him to consider honouring his offer from the takeover; for all Jamberry consultants to become M Network consultants for no sign-up fee (he is legally no longer allowed to approach the Elite Leads as the merger has fallen through, so they have approached him directly).

Image credit to /r/antiMLM

Rumours are flying that he obtained the formula for manufacture of Jamberry wraps, at a point where the merger looked like a certainty, and so will be adding nail products to the M Network portfolio anyway, all within the next couple of months.

In my wider Jamberry team, dozens of consultants from all over the world are pledging to move over to M Network.

The writing has clearly been on the wall for Jamberry for a while — they have been offering special deals non-stop this year. Cut-price offers for consultant start-up packages, ‘flash sales’ one after the other, cheap sign up for their ‘Style VIP package’. I’ve been suspicious for a while now about their motives for this seeming desperation.

A lot of these offers have been about bringing in new consultants. They have had masses of consultant sign up in April alone, due to a free basic sign-up offer, when they knew this was on the cards all along! They preach “Jamberry values” of sisterhood and generosity, and then disappear with thousands of pounds worth of product that consultants and their customers have paid for. And currently, their website is showing no clue of any of this!

Many consultants have even had to change the URL of their Jamberry sites so that none of their customers can order anything; as they don’t believe orders will be fulfilled!

Sorry, this is a LOT. But it’s not as simple as ‘another MLM folds’; the misdirection and misinformation over the last month is staggering. Many Jamberry chief executives have jumped ship and now work for M Network.

[Elle’s note: Please see Update 21/06/18 below, regarding this executives jumping ship statement.]

I myself have further issues with M, and the questionable claims they make for their ‘stiks’.

I will keep you posted when I know more.


Elle-small[Elle:] Thank you, Penny, for sharing your perspective on this Jamberry fiasco with us. For further information from other sources, take a look at the following selection. If you have anything further that should be added to the list, comment below.

If you are on Facebook, you can also have a discussion on the matter with MLM Lies Exposed and Sounds Like MLM But OK.


Update 21/06/2018 – from “Current Jamberry Employee”

We received an email via our contact form from “Current Jamberry Employee” (by ’employee’, we mean someone that actually receives a monthly salary from the company, along with sick leave and other employment benefits – not someone that shills nail wraps on a commission-only basis).

“…Just to let you know…not all Jamberry executives work for M Network. Only one, [name redacted]. The others were all laid off a month ago. M Network is sneaky, and liars…”

At this stage, we are unsure as to whether it would be prudent to name the individual mentioned below. Although, the individual in question appears to have actively taken part in the “roadshow” visits with Ryan Anderson.

We have reached out to “Current Jamberry Employee” to offer our support, and to see if there are any more updates that they are willing to share. Of course, if this information moves into whistleblowing territory, then we will, of course, have to refer them to the “Anonymous of MLM” guys – MLM Confidential.


Update 21/06/2018 – from “Monique (Jamberry Consultant)”

We have received a huge influx of emails from Jamberry consultants that have been left in the dark. They are frustrated, angry, and out-of-pocket. Some have even spent good money to attend these conventions, and now have no idea if they will get their money back. This update comes from Jamberry consultant “Monique”.

Monique’s email reads:

“… Jamberry consultant left in the dark. Just signed up in March of 2018. Invested at least $2,000 only to get $300 back at most. Thought the long haul of this company would be a payout seeing as a close friend has been doing Jamberry successfully for 4 years and I really loved the products and believed in what I sold. I’m not your typical shove it down your throw [sic] consultant. You say no, you say no. I’ll move on. 

Now I’m sick to my stomach over all I’ve lost and don’t have any faith that Jamberry is going to move forward in any direction. Yesterday, 6/20/18 we were supposed to have a legal statement with more info. No surprise the statement never appeared. You can’t reach corporate or customer service. It’s as if a ghost is running their site, the bank has hold of their Facebook page, and there is no promise to the light of day. 

How the hell do you sleep at night not knowing what the future holds and then wanting to vomit because this “secure financial freedom” was all a lie. It’s a risk in any MLM, but when you had real life friends who made successful business and even they didn’t see this coming, you are just as a loss. 

I assure you, this was my final attempt with MLMs because this is the 2nd time I’ve been burned and lost thousands that didn’t pay out like promised…”


Update 21/06/2018 – some Jamberry consultant’s drivel posted by /r/antiMLM

Again, this doesn’t tell us very much, but it has appeared on this post. It’s quite over-dramatic, borderline deluded, and leaves us feeling a sense of despair – none of these people have learned that MLM will never work. Also – its concerning that they include that ridiculous #BossBabe hashtag, and fail to get the founders’ names correct.

The transcript reads:

To my friends who have reached out: thanks for all your thoughts and prayers ❤️

To those who tried to recruit me during this time: thanks for the opportunity but please show some respect. 😳

To the morally bankrupt driving force behind the ridiculousness: thank you for showing us that we are so much stronger than we knew. 😎

To Adam, Jared, Christie, Lindsey, and Kerri [sic] who founded us: I hope you’re watching (as painful as it is) because we are making you proud. 😍

To the field of Jamberry: it is the US that built this company. That will NEVER change and no one can take the US away from each other. 😁

To the world: change is upon us. But we actually are REALLY good… we are choosing to stick together AS A FAMILY because it’s a family that built this company… and that is what we have become. So don’t feel sorry for us. Don’t pity us… our legacy follows us WHEREVER we go. ✨

And what is more powerful than one independent consultant? THOUSANDS of us… continuing on together! Our story isn’t over… in fact, it’s just beginning. #WatchMeThrive #WeWontBeStopped #BossBabe #FaMily


Update 26/06/2018 – from “Berri (Jamberry Consultant)”

You guessed it – another one that talked a lot, but didn’t say very much. “Berri” first messaged us on the 21st June, asking why we were asking Jamberry consultants to contact us if they are affected by the current news. Well – so we can try and offer some kind of help and support, Berri!

Berri’s initial correspondence with us was quite blunt and flippant, so I automatically suspected they may be trolling. Ah well, we’re still going to reply with a level of courtesy. 😉 A day or so later though, Berri said “…I’m going to try to get my $250 back for the Conference that is not happening. And I’m not getting any sales due to all this. This is horrific. I’m so very upset…”

OK…so we replied with possible support avenues as you can see in the upcoming screenshot. We even sent her a link of ideas to make an income from home without resorting to MLM. Berri got back to us, with the following odd response (which made me sway back to my ‘are we being trolled??‘ assumption):

“…Thank for your reply. I don’t need a refund now. We are ALL good! Jamberry is staying in Business!! See we have a Amazingly Awesome Team of Leaders and Consultants that stuck together as a FAMILY & we all prayed together!! We are blessed and moving forward with our Business!! This is going to be great. I love my Jamily and my Jams [sic]!! Thank GOD for answering our prayers. GOD is Wonderful!! 

This is NOT like any other DS company around!! Have a great day!

So, Berri seems to think that Jamberry is “staying in business” but can’t offer us any proof, other than the fact the ‘Jamily‘ have prayed together. You never know, it may be a genuine, heartfelt declaration…but there is a bigger part of me that just thinks…

Either way, we’ve wished Berri and the ‘Jam Fam‘ well – even if they are trolling us. We do hope they’ll come back and give us an update on how they’ve been “moving forward with [their] business.”

We won’t hold our breath.


As far as we can see, Jamberry’s corporate team still continues to ghost its consultants. We will provide updates as and when they are received.


 


Spread the word!

16 comments

  1. I placed an order for $172.70 on 28/5 and I’m still waiting for it to come. I did get an email 8/6 apologizing for the delay. I emailed them today to try to get a refund yet haven’t heard anything as yet. My bank has been notified and has said to wait to see if I get a response from them. I think it’s disgusting that they still took my money possibly knowing that the order would not be filled. I also feel for all the consultants which I believe have been left in the dark as well

  2. I was a consultant for over 3 years (predominantly for the discount). I give it up last fall mostly for personal reasons, but also because they had changed the compensation package and, quite frankly, were no longer the small, supportive, family they once were. I still do like the products and stayed on as a Style VIP customer. I have an order pending from May 25th. I received an apology e-mail from the company with a 25% off coupon for my next order (which will likely never happen). Obviously they had to expand their product base because how many nail wraps do people need? I love their gel lacquer (because it doesn’t stink of harsh chemicals like other brands). But getting into lipstick, brow gels, and hair care seemed (to me) a stretch.

    I’m sorry for my upline friends who are affected. One made a comment yesterday that she used the last $12 on her Jamberry card to pay for snacks for her son.

  3. Mysterious and random product credit amounts are appearing in Jamberry Consultants “work stations” & none of them know why. Some speculation of embezzling.
    The funny thing is Australian & New Zealand consultant websites for placing orders have marked everything as “out of stock” and consultants have been informed that ALL shipping to these countries has been “temporarily suspended” (So no one can use them here anyways!)
    A few hours ago the Elite uplines have announced that the M.Network deal is back on. They are posting celebtation gifs on their Facebook page at the announcement that M. Network has bought out Jamberry and will be COMPLETELY taking over.
    Ryan Anderson is their saviour and even the Jamberry executives that jumped ship to secure employment with M.Network have poked their head out to say “Hi consultants!” after their deafening silence due to the Non disclosure Agreements they signed with M.Network.
    The energy drinks and weight loss supplements M.Network sell have not been approved by the Australian therapeutic goods association nor the New Zealand equivalent – so this should be interesting.
    Also M.Network plan on restructuring the Jamberry compensation plan to match their own so keep an ear to the ground for top recruiters to feel the pain of losing income from their ‘downlines’ as they are shortened and income becomes more about ‘personal sales volumes’.
    Jamberry … what a hot mess!

  4. Maybe you should do your research before posting more rumors!! I’m so tired of the lies, rumors and assumptions that have been thrown around lately. So, since you didn’t do your own research before posting this garbage let me do it for you.

    Here is an update from Ryan Anderson at M Network.

    “Update regarding the Jamberry/ M Network transaction. We want everyone to know that M Network presented Jamberry with a complete purchase agreement with agreed upon terms between the parties. Jamberry informed us that Jamberry and it’s lender accepted the agreement and M Network has been waiting on them to close the transaction.”

  5. Nikki, I’m curious, when was this “latest update” announced?
    It seems to me that a lot of research has been done for this article, and if you take a gander at Facebook, you’ll see tons of consultants discussing the uncertainty surrounding this merger. Maybe you should do some research before you start spouting off hateful comments at people who have done absolutely nothing to hurt you

  6. Nikki – can you post a url for the quote you used in a failed attempt to back you up? Anyone can say anything they want. At least Elle put in the work to site her sources. What’s your excuse, I’ll wait…..

  7. Interesting blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from
    somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog shine.
    Please let me know where you got your theme. Thanks

  8. Everything is very open with a really clear clarification of the
    issues. It was really informative. Your website is very
    useful. Thanks for sharing!

  9. After exploring a handful of the articles on your
    website, I honestly appreciate your technique of writing a blog.
    I book marked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back in the near future.
    Take a look at my website as well and tell me
    how you feel.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *