Many years ago, when I was still a student, I attended a seminar for a multi-level marketing (MLM) program. The idea was, you’d sell products that a company provided you with. It could be vitamins, knives, dishware, or a vast swath of other products. 

The presenters emphasized all of the perks: that you could work from home, set your own hours, and all while earning a ton of money. In other words, this was going to be easy. They were not subtle about it, at all—they literally said, “This is going to be easy.” Why wouldn’t you do it? 

Here’s what they left for you to figure out on your own: you’d need to pay money up front for inventory. You’d need to figure out who to sell these products to (unfortunately, friends and family). The person who recruited you would also take a percentage of your income.

A quick search would’ve shown that the vast majority of people do not make money from MLMs. The FTC reports this. One researcher reports that less than 1% of participants profit. 

Some takeaways from that experience, that have served me well:

Whenever somebody promises you a commitment is going to be easy, it’s probably not. It might be a signal they don’t have your best interests in mind. You lose nothing by walking away. The sooner you walk away, the easier it will feel. (I left at the halfway point in the seminar.) At the very least, approach it with much greater caution and do more research than you usually would. The more enticing it is, the more you need to slow down. 

Only you can make a clear judgment call on what will be easy for you, or not. The best partners will be transparent and honest with you, and let you make the call.

One of the presenters was introduced to me as a potential mentor. He invited me to the seminar. I trusted my friend, so I trusted him. It made me realize that people who seek mentees may be out to take advantage of them. Another way to say this: a good mentor probably isn’t a full-time mentor, actively looking for mentees.