Enough Already!

Tweet

I know so many women -- too many women! -- who think they are going to become their 'own bosses' by selling some type of product. They sign up to be consultants for makeup brands, adult toy products, cookware, or scented items, and then expect their friends and family to buy from them to support their new "career." I don't know how many women in my social circle have attempted to sell things like Mary Kay, Avon, Jamberry, Scentsy, Pure Romance, Pampered Chef, or whatever other pyramid scheme you can think of. Some of them realize that they can't make a living doing this and give up. One friend quit selling Avon because she realized they were ripping her off. But some just keep signing up for these "opportunities" and then I get bombarded with invitations to host parties, attend parties, win prizes (but only if you buy so much in product,) and tagged in posts promoting some product the woman is pushing me to buy, but I have no interest in. Frankly, I'm sick of it. I used to try to support my friends who sold these types of things. When my cousin tried selling Avon, I bought a lot of makeup (which I didn't need) from her. Same with a friend who tried being a Pure Romance consultant. I even hosted a party, which no one showed up to. (Well, except my sister and ex-sister-in-law...now THAT was awkward. Pure Romance is a company that sells adult toys, so it was weird playing games to try to win prizes with my family. We were all uncomfortable and I decided I would never host another party like that again. I was just trying to support my friend's "career." The truth is unless you are a very outgoing person with a HUGE social circle, you will never be successful on this type of career path. So it makes no sense for introverts to attempt to sell these things.) It was one thing when it was just one or two people I knew who were "supplementing their incomes" this way. But now every other woman I know is doing it. (And some of them really baffle me with this decision because they are trying to push makeup or nail wraps and don't even WEAR or use those things. How can you pretend to be passionate and sell this stuff if you don't even like this stuff and aren't well put together like the brand's consultants are supposed to be? Who is going to buy Mary Kay from a frumpy person?) I simply can't -- and won't -- "be supportive" like they ask. For one I can't afford it. One friend's girlfriend is selling Scentsy and keeps pressuring me to buy stuff from her. I know they are financially better off than I am and I am not going to spend my money on stuff I don't need just to be nice or to encourage her delusion that she's going to become her own boss this way. I'm done wasting my hard-earned money just to be nice. Mainly because none of these people ever try to support my writing career. Which IS actually a career. I write, illustrate, and publish my own children's books. I've written and published a novel. And nobody in my social circle -- with the exception of @sissy15 -- can be bothered to buy any of my books (even though most of them have kids in the age range the books are meant for), leave a review on Amazon, or even help spread the word about my new books by sharing a post on Facebook. If they do download a copy of my book on Kindle, they wait until it's free. And they still won't leave a review for it. So, no, I don't feel bad about not buying smelly wax or vibrators or mascara from any of them. I get it that money is sometimes tight -- I understand that all too well. But it does seem a tad insulting when someone who is financially better off than you keeps hounding you to buy frivolous items you don't want or need when they can't be bothered to return the favor and support your writing career. If they don't want to buy my books for their own children, fine; but sharing a link to those books with their other mommy friends could help a lot. If you can't be bothered to do that, don't expect me to buy the overpriced candles or mascara you're peddling. Now, on the other hand, I do support my friends who are artists or indie authors. Even if I can't afford to buy their art, I will share their page on social media, or buy a print of a piece I like if they're selling any. And I always leave reviews. They might not return the favor for me, but I know all too well what it's like to be a struggling artist. We usually can't afford those overpriced candles or tubes of lipstick our "consultant" friends are selling.