A reader who went to Amway Free Enterprise Days gives us a first hand impression of what FED is really like.
At the FED I attended I got to see the inauguration of a new Diamond to the club. To say the process was ridiculous, over the top, weird, and whatever other adjective you want to throw in would be an understatement.
First of all they rolled out a giant red carpet as though they were a king and queen. Then they had two long fences on each side where people eagerly trampled over one another to get as close as possible to the new royalty. They were giving high fives, hugs, and other congratulations as they watched their money being filtered into these new diamonds bank accounts. It was like something from the dark ages where people were paying their respects to the lords of the land.
The new diamonds were dressed in a tuxedo and wedding dress with their two little girls going down the aisle. (Yes they were essentially getting married to Amway). At the end were their parents (executive diamonds), there to congratulate them and give them their prize. A plaque on their giant diamond shaped, cubic zerconium statue. As people ooed and awed at the moment, I couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. When someone becomes a board member at a new company, I don't believe it is typical for them to have 8,000 plus employees surround and worship them...in a stadium.
Then the creepiest thing happened when they made their complete transformation into douchery. They gave a 40 min. garbage speech about living the dream just like every rehearsed diamond speech, and then tried to really impress upon everyone that if they can do it, YOU CAN DO IT!
Ultimately the experience was bizarre and negligent of the true responsibilities they have to enrich their followers and help everyone become successful. They must have spent 10's of thousands on this ridiculous ceremony, and that probably equates the 1,000's of IBO's literally watching their money being pissed away. A truly sickening experience.