Quixtar Woodward
Quixtar Woodward
Orrin
#1 Team Home, Founders Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady
| ||||
|
Team Orrin Woodward: August 2007
Team Orrin Woodward
Updates on Orrin Woodward, Chairman and Founder of Team
August 11, 2007
Board Members Resign in Protest! part 2
Stay tuned to this blog and others as I will be posting updates as soon as they are available.
Further information about what is going on:
The main issue in our opinion is that the Quixtar opportunity as a business is not viable. The fundamental principle of a successful business is that you must have a product that people want to buy at a price they are willing to pay. The bottom line is that Quixtar’s prices are so non-competitive that our people cannot retail the products. Secondly, in our opinion, the changes being implemented by the company including the name change to Amway and the new product development does not include a significant competitive pricing strategy which means that the business will become even more difficult for the new person to build.
These facts put us in a moral dilemma. The whole purpose of our action on Thursday was to give people in the field a choice about their own futures. Meanwhile, the Team continues to operate as a leadership development organization that teaches leadership principles that can be applied for success in family, home, work, church, businesses of all kinds, and any other worthwhile endeavor where people are influenced in a positive direction. It is important as we proceed further that no one disparages Quixtar, Amway, Alticor, or any of its constituents or employees in anyway.
We are very confident about the future because we know that the key to the internet is COMMUNITY! Content and Commerce can and will be developed!
Stay tuned to this blog and others as I will be posting updates as soon as they are available.
Posted by Team CEO, Robert Dickie on August 11, 2007 | Permalink
Team Complies with Court Order
We have been asked to pull the post titled, “Orrin Woodward Resigns from Quixtar!” On Friday, Quixtar obtained a Temporary Restraining. This Order was obtained without us being present and was based on plainly false and deceptive affidavits. This Order requires us to remove this particular posting. In addition to this post, the Order requires that Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady refrain from soliciting Quixtar IBOs to join another business opportunity.
We feel that this Temporary Restraining Order was based on false assumptions presented to the court. We intend to be in court as quickly as the judge will allow. We will let you know the outcome immediately.
From the beginning of this conflict, we have chosen to take the high road by not disparaging Quixtar in any way. We encourage all IBOs to treat Quixtar with respect throughout the remainder of this conflict.
Orrin Woodward was deeply saddened by Alticor’s blog post, “Just Go, Team,” (http://media.alticorblogs.com/2007/08/10/just-go-team/#comments) however, he has chosen to remain silent on the issue. Interestingly enough, the article paints Orrin Woodward as a serious violator of the Quixtar rules, yet he has never been sanctioned for any Rule violation in his 13 years in the business.
We respect all rulings from all courts, even when such decisions are based on distorted facts. We will continue to respect all rulings from the courts for the duration of all pending litigation. Again, we want to encourage all IBOs to remain calm and be respectful throughout this process.
Posted by Team CEO, Robert Dickie on August 11, 2007 | Permalink
Team Home, Founders Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady
| ||||
|
Free The IBO: Stop Quixtar Amway Pyramid Pricing IBO Forum • View topic - Setting the Record Straigh
Setting the Record Straight
By Ron Simmons
As CEO of Legacy Business Group, LLC for over three years, I have had the unique perspective of observing and participating in the inner workings of both the "Field" (IBOs) and the "Company" (Quixtar/Amway). This is in addition to my 12 plus years as a business building IBO. Over the last year I have also been closely involved in the transition of Legacy affiliated IBOs into the Team training system. Finally, I have been the primary "liaison" between the Company and Team (including Legacy) regarding issues of Business Support Materials ("tools") and other Quixtar rule related issues. The role that I have played has therefore given me a special perspective of being a part of the challenges Orrin and Quixtar have faced with creatively building a growing business. Finally, I was present in many of the meetings that led up to the recent termination of Orrin and Chris as well as the coinciding resignations/terminations of Randy Haugen, Don Wilson, Tim Marks, Billy Florence and other Team affiliated leaders.
I have been in receipt of the various releases from Quixtar concerning Orrin and Chris, I attended the meeting on Thursday, August 9, 2007 between Quixtar and Team, and I was an active observer in the separation. The written releases from Quixtar and the IBOAI can best be described as incomplete with multiple inaccuracies and at worst as propaganda with specific intent to create unwarranted fear within the hearts and minds of families like yours and mine.
I write this communication to set the record straight.
As the CEO of Legacy since early 2004 I have been involved in multiple discussions with Don Wilson and Randy Haugen regarding the changes that needed to be made in order to make our business the best opportunity available. Their positions as members of the IBOAI Board gave them unique perspectives in the challenges and opportunities that have faced our business for years. Our discussions focused on two areas - Company issues and Field issues. In the Field we needed to improve our training and educational system so that it was easy to access, reasonably priced, transparent and specifically focused to help the new IBO as well as the seasoned veteran. We did this by implementing a compensation system that was transparent and fair to all eligible participants; by developing a web based ordering and communication system easily accessed by the affiliated IBOs and by developing tools with particular purpose, for particular people. On the Company side we held many, many discussions with the Company regarding what was needed from the Company to move the business forward. Our consistent message was that we needed; quality, everyday products that were competitively priced and a successful strategy to combat the negative image of Quixtar and Amway on the Internet. While it appeared that Company personnel were listening (at least in the meetings I attended) there has been no measurable movement in the product lineup or pricing. Nor has there been a successful strategy by the Company to combat the negative on the Internet. Even with the changes that we made as a "Field" organization our success in growing Legacy affiliated IBOs businesses in 2004 - 2006 was minimal at best - primarily because of the negative connotation associated with the Amway/Quixtar name on the Internet and in the minds of the public and the virtually insurmountable obstacle of product pricing on virtually every core line products.
When Legacy aligned with Team in late 2006 the Legacy affiliated IBOs found what Randy and Don had known for a while. Team had developed a business building system that, even with the constraints of the negative Quixtar/Amway brand and the unreasonable product pricing, an IBO, affiliated with Team, could in fact make progress. During the time period of 2004 - 2006 while Legacy and almost all other Anglo organizations were having minimal or no growth, Team was in fact having double digit percentage growth year in and year out. In fact they were so much the "poster child" for the Company that just a couple of years ago Orrin and Laurie Woodward were asked to be keynote speakers at the Company sponsored and produced event, Quixtar Live! The business building system they had developed was very similar to what Randy and Don had during the exponential growth years they experienced in the late 80's and early 90's - but with the added benefit of systems thinking provided by former engineers Orrin and Chris and the proper positioning of the various business components to give an IBO the best chance for success. We all know this as Team Approach.
When Jim Payne joined the Quixtar management team in mid 2005 he visited the Legacy office in Salt Lake City and met with Don Wilson, Randy Haugen, John Sims and myself. This meeting was for Jim to introduce himself and for all of us to get to know each other better. During this meeting, Randy described to Jim how we thought the business could be built under the current environment. Because Randy had known Orrin and had communicated with him briefly about business building methods he described to Jim what we now know as Team Approach whereby you might register a person down in depth but you coach/mentor him. Jim stated that this method was acceptable and appropriate. In addition, in July 2007 (just a few weeks) ago I again sat down with Jim (as well as Gary VanderVen and others at Quixtar) and explained to them Team Approach and how we build depth. It was confirmed by Jim and others that our approach was appropriate. Of course we understand that while Team Approach calls for the sponsor to be introduced to their new downline prior to registration it is possible for a few of the tens of thousands of IBOs affiliated with Team to make a mistake in this area. Having said that, Jim also told me in July of 2007 that even if an IBO did not know their sponsor prior to registration it is NOT ILLEGAL, but that some other organizations within Quixtar were complaining. Any communication to the contrary by the Company to you is patently false.
In early 2007 Randy Haugen and I met with the company rules and regulation department as well as Jim Payne and reached an agreement whereby I would work with the Company to address any concerns they had with the tools and other training system related issues with Team and other organizations utilizing the Team training system (such as Legacy and now others). Orrin and Chris wholeheartedly approved this arrangement. I began working with Gary VanderVen and Christine Tuttle in this area and we developed and worked out a game plan that was both acceptable to the Company and Team. During this time I received numerous communications from the Company approving of our tools and methods which described Team Approach. We even went the extra mile (no other organization has done this) by developing and online survey for new Team affiliated IBOs to complete to help make sure we were meeting our goals of understanding their new business and the various components. Any time there has been an issue brought to my attention by the Company we have addressed it AND we have addressed it to their satisfaction. Therefore to say (as the Company has) that Team's business building methods were inappropriate or questionable are not true.
We have felt really good about where we have been going regarding any concerns the Company has had regarding Team Approach and in fact I have enjoyed the working relationship I have developed with Gary VanderVen and Christine Tuttle in this area. I have also had a very good relationship with many other employees of the company including Jim Payne and Alticor’s chief legal counsel, Michael Mohr. This is all the more reason why some statements made in the meeting on Thursday and the subsequent communications from the Company have been so disappointing. I can only draw the conclusion that these employees are either totally misunderstanding the facts or are being directed in their actions by the owners of Alticor. Either way it is sad, very sad.
The entire business changed this past June as the owners of the Company decided to change the Quixtar name back to Amway, without seeking advice and counsel from the IBOAI Board on which Don, Randy, Orrin, Chris, Chuck Goetschel and Billy Florence sat as members along with other IBO leaders. Even though they said it would be a change in 18 -24 months, it was released it to the press and then the Company prepared a new brochure that must be given to all new IBOs beginning September 1, 2007 stating we are essentially now in Amway. In addition, although pressed by the above Board members, there has been no movement on improved product pricing on current products or new products introduced that are competitively priced. Other proposed rule changes by the Company were obviously targeted to reduce the opportunity to build large organizations and to aggressively reduce the "Independent" portion of the term Independent Business Owner. All of this led the leadership of Team and other affiliated organizations such as Legacy to conclude that the new Amway business is not something that they felt can be built. Perhaps Chris Brady said it best when he stated recently: "I owe these people the business I told them they could achieve when I brought them in and that is not possible with the new organizational changes."
All that Randy, Orrin and Chris asked for in the meeting this past Thursday was to not be forced on the new Amway train and to be allowed to leave amicably and give other IBOs affiliated with Team to have the option to do so if they choose. Freedom, that is all that we wanted and all that we asked for. Randy eloquently told the Company that we respect the right of the owners of Quixtar to make the changes going forward they deem appropriate and that we appreciate the relationship that they have had over the years but he could not, in good faith tell a new IBO that he could build a large and successful business based on the new model. Therefore Randy, Orrin and Chris asked for their release along with the right for YOU to have the same choice. As you know by now the Company replied in draconian, tyrannical fashion towards some of their most successful and veteran field leaders. This forced Orrin, Chris, Randy and others to ask the Federal court system to require Quixtar to release them and give you the same option. They are not asking for money, or for the requirement for you or anyone else to leave - just the option for everyone to really participate in free enterprise. Long ago this country outlawed personal indentured servitude and the same thing should apply to IBOs and their business.
One final thought, the Company immediately started a "communication" campaign that placed ultimatums on some IBOs (they actually called some IBOs and gave those 24 hours to decide if they were in our out!), disparaged Orrin, Chris, Randy and other Team affiliated leaders and falsely implied legal and regulatory issues in relation to Team. If the new Amway business is so exciting and such a great opportunity as they keep saying then why are they trying to force people to stay involved by using these, undesirable and unprofessional tactics? Maybe it will be great, maybe not. All that Orrin and others have asked is to let people make that choice and don't force us on to a business train that is not what we originally signed up for. This certainly seems like free enterprise to me…………..
Quixtar
Alticor Media Blog » Blog Archive » Just go, Team
Alticor Media Blog is the official news weblog from the Alticor family of companies.
August 10th, 2007…
Just go, Team
You can post a comment or trackback from your own site.
We terminated Orrin Woodward yesterday, along with several other leaders of his field organization, named Team. We’ll post our formal statement when it’s ready. Informally, here’s the story:
We terminated Orrin Woodward for philosophical reasons. We did it for legal reasons.
But the main reason we did it is because the way Orrin Woodward ran his organization was a disgrace to every person who’s ever tried to build a Quixtar or Amway business the right way.
We have fought to clean up the reputation of our company for years. We know that one of the biggest challenges our reputation faces is misrepresentation of the Quixtar and Amway businesses to others.
And over the last several months, it became clear to us that Orrin Woodward was a poster child for a long list of bad business practices that our critics hate about our company. The other leaders we terminated – including Chris Brady, Billy Florence, Don Wilson, Randy Haugen, Tim Marks and Chuck Goetschel – also showed they were unwilling to reform.
Not telling people they were signing up with Quixtar? Woodward would hide that fact from new Independent Business Owners as long as he could.
Making people think it was easy money? Same deal.
Telling people that Quixtar was merely a “supplier,” and not the company they were signing a contract with? Yup.
We’d told Woodward we had problems with the way he ran his business for years, and we worked methodically to bring those problems to resolution. We got ignored, we got lied to, and, boy, we got the runaround.
So in the end, yesterday, we tried to give him one last chance to reform.
He didn’t even want to hear his options. So we terminated him. And in return, he handed us a trumped-up, trash-talking lawsuit on his way out the door. In response, we have a temporary restraining order issued by a court that prevents him from looting the business as he seeks to take his act to a new company.
So he’s gone, and so are others. We are doing our best to repair the relationships Orrin Woodward damaged and protect the businesses of the people in his organization that Orrin Woodward betrayed. And we will continue building our business with thousands of people who know how to build it the right way.
We would say we were sorry to see Orrin Woodward go. But only if that were true.
IBOAI Media Center
Recent events have taken the business beyond simply a transformation. In addition to actions Alticor has taken to move the business in new directions, certain IBOs have now also taken actions that have complicated the picture. Here are the latest details as we know them.
Joint Statement Regarding Team
Friday, August 10, 2007
Quixtar Inc., North American Founders Council, and Independent Business Owners Association International Board of Directors Joint Statement Regarding Team
The North American Founders Council (NAFC) and Independent Business Owners Associational International (IBOAI) are proud to represent the Quixtar business opportunity, especially during this exciting period of transformation in our business. Unprecedented investments by Quixtar are poised to help make our businesses stronger than ever – more than $60 million in new money in Quixtar Business Incentives, launch of training to help make IBOs more successful, and exciting new product and category launches. Overall, the company is spending more than $200 million in product development, brand building, training and compensation enhancements to make this business opportunity bigger and more successful than ever.
We are disappointed that the founders of the Team training organization, Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady, and other IBOs affiliated with Team, have refused to move forward with the Quixtar business into this new and promising future. Given Team's unwillingness to work with the corporation to remedy their bad business-building practices, their stated intent to start a competing MLM and, ultimately, their decision to file baseless litigation against the business opportunity from which they have profited for years, the NAFC and IBOAI fully support Quixtar's decision to terminate these IBOs' businesses. The terminations of Woodward, Brady, Billy Florence, Don Wilson, Randy Haugen, Chuck Goetschel, Tim Marks, Kirk Birtles, James Martin, Aron Radosa, David Brandy, Benjamin Dickie, Bruce Gilbank, Michael Martenson, and Chuck Cullen will help correct practices that put Quixtar and all IBOs at serious and immediate risk of legal and regulatory action.
The NAFC and IBOAI stand firmly with Quixtar in an unwillingness to put our business and the businesses of hundreds of thousands of IBOs at risk of legal and regulatory action caused by Woodward and Brady’s practices.
We believe the Quixtar business is the best business opportunity in the world. We are prepared to work with the corporation and other IBOs who remain committed to their businesses as we move through this period of transformation to become stronger and more profitable, helping more individuals than ever before achieve success with a Quixtar-powered business of their own.
Other News Releases from Quixtar
Quixtar Statement: Team / Quixtar
Quixtar Statement: Team
After working with Team training organization founders, Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady, on issues related to teaching by the organization on positioning of the business, the practice of “stacking,” or inappropriate depth-building, the use of unauthorized business support materials, and because they told company executives that they intend to start soliciting IBOs to join their new competing MLM business, the company has terminated Woodward and Brady’s Quixtar businesses. Moreover, they, together with other Team, Legacy and Team 5K IBOs, have filed a class action lawsuit in Federal Court against Quixtar.Woodward and Brady have taught business practices about positioning of the business and “stacking” or inappropriate depth-building that put affiliated IBOs and Quixtar at serious and immediate risk for legal and regulatory action and had to be stopped. They also had issues with use of unauthorized business support materials and solicited others to become part of their training organization despite warnings to discontinue such practices.
Quixtar proposed solutions and options to address these issues that would bring Team-affiliated IBOs into compliance with Quixtar’s Rules of Conduct during a meeting August 9. Team’s founders refused to even review the plan and consider changing their practices. Team’s founders stated that they intended to start a competing MLM. In fact, they suggested we waive the non-compete clause that protects all IBOs to allow their new company or any other opportunity to prospect existing IBOs for competing opportunities.
Quixtar is unwilling to put its business and the businesses of hundreds of thousands of IBO businesses at risk of legal and regulatory action caused by Woodward and Brady’s practices. Ultimately, their unwillingness to address these issues and their stated plans to form a competing business resulted in the termination of their IBO businesses.
We are working with Team-affiliated IBOs to support them through the transition of leadership in their organization.
Quixtar Takes Swift Action To Protect Its Business Non-compliance with company rules results in busi
Quixtar Takes Swift Action To Protect Its Business
Non-compliance with company rules results in business terminations
ADA, Mich., August 10, 2007 – Quixtar Inc. announced this morning the termination of 15 independent businesses as a result of actions detrimental to the company’s North American operations. The businesses affected were part of the Team training organization or other training organizations using Team’s training materials and named as co-plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by Team’s founders against Quixtar yesterday.
Quixtar was working with Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady, founders of the Team training organization, to correct issues related to Team’s teaching of inappropriate business-building tactics, improper positioning of the opportunity, and use of unauthorized support materials. These teachings placed themselves, affiliated Independent Business Owners (IBOs), and Quixtar at serious and immediate risk of legal and regulatory actions and had to be stopped.
Woodward and Brady refused to work with the company to return Team to compliance with Quixtar’s rules, stated their intentions of starting a new company in competition with Quixtar, and filed a lawsuit against the company seeking relief from their non-compete requirements. The lawsuit is filled with outrageous claims and statements and will be defended vigorously by the corporation.
Due to their refusal to correct their business practices, Quixtar terminated the independent businesses of Woodward and Brady as well as those who joined them as plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit, filed in a California district court yesterday. A Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Order of Injunction was sought by the company and granted today in a Michigan district court, preventing Woodward and Brady from interfering with the Quixtar Line of Sponsorship (LOS), soliciting IBOs for another business opportunity, disparaging Quixtar and damaging its reputation, and requiring them to return to Quixtar its proprietary and confidential LOS data.
Additional co-plaintiffs whose Quixtar independent businesses were terminated include Billy Florence, Don Wilson, Randy Haugen, Chuck Goetschel, Tim Marks, Kirk Birtles, James Martin, Aron Radosa, David Brandy, Benjamin Dickie, Bruce Gilbank, Michael Martenson, and Chuck Cullen.
Incidentally, the law firm representing the plaintiffs is the same firm involved in several other frivolous lawsuits against Quixtar and IBOs.
Quixtar remains committed to the support of all IBOs and will work with those who agree to abide by the company’s rules and maintain high ethical standards. In fact, the company has announced many improvements to further enhance its business, including more than $200 million in investments in product development, brand building, training, and compensation enhancements.
Commentary from the company is being provided at the Alticor Media Blog and Quixtar is actively reaching out to IBOs who were in the Team training organization and other organizations affected by these terminations to restate our commitment to supporting their independent businesses.
About Quixtar
Quixtar Inc. offers a business opportunity that allows people to have a business of their own based on retailing products and sharing the opportunity with others who will do the same. Quixtar supports Independent Business Owners (IBOs) with a proven compensation plan, portfolios of quality products in health, beauty, and other consumer categories, plus the merchandising materials, training, and education they need to be successful. IBOs also are supported by communities of those who have succeeded in Quixtar businesses before them.
Since 1999, Quixtar IBOs have generated $6.8 billion in sales through Quixtar.com, plus more than $500 million for Quixtar Partner Stores. These sales have earned IBOs more than $2.2 billion in bonuses through the Quixtar® Independent Business Owner Compensation Plan plus other incentives. Their efforts have propelled Quixtar to be ranked the #1 online Health & Beauty retailer based on sales, and 22nd among all e-commerce sites, according to Internet Retailer magazine.
A subsidiary of Alticor Inc., Quixtar supports independent businesses in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and various trust territories and independent island nations in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and Caribbean Sea.
The Real Quixtar Blog : Quixtar IBOs for Quixtar
uixtar IBOs for Quixtar
This weekend there was a lot of activity here in the Opportunity Zone resulting from news last week about the terminations of Orrin Woodward, Chris Brady, and a number of other leaders within Team or other organizations using Team's training program. I spent a lot of time reviewing the comments and got them up as quickly as possible. I know there are some unanswered questions, too, and we will get responses.
It's obvious there are two strong opinions in this matter. There are those who believe Team's practices were detrimental to the overall business and needed to be stopped, and there are those who believe the company was misguided in its decision.
Many of the IBOs who are not part of Team or related organizations support the company's decision because they frequently had to explain how their business practices were different than those taught by Team. That support can be seen in the joint statement issued by the North American Founders Council, the Independent Business Owners Association International Board of Directors, and Quixtar Inc.
Meanwhile, the Sales team is contacting leaders at the Platinum level or above within Team and other affected organizations, reaching out to them, inviting them to continue their Quixtar businesses, and seeking assurances they will build ethical businesses within Quixtar's rules. We're glad to see that the vast majority of those contacted see the value in the Quixtar opportunity and the safeguards provided by the Rules of Conduct to preserve and protect the hard work of many IBOs. The company will embrace all who wish to remain and work with them to stabilize and grow their businesses.
In the next few weeks and months, the company will be rolling out new product lines and new incentive programs and new training. This is an extremely exciting time for our business and one you won't want to miss!
