Selling Out My Friendship

When my friends become a part of pyramids and networking marketing companies, it makes for an awkward relationship. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a good idea for everyone to have multiple streams of income, and I don’t knock any legal way someone tries to achieve those multiple streams. I just know what’s not for me. And I am NOT a fan of any company that operates under a network marketing model or a that requires me to pay money to make money. I’m not a salesperson and I don’t like to feel pressured into a purchase by someone trying to earn a pink Cadillac. Seriously, I can spot a random "independent beauty consultant" from a mile away just by the sales pitch-y compliment she goes out of her way to give me in a grocery or department store. Not that I can’t be supportive of my friends who sell — I’ll gladly buy some lipgloss or a sex toy from you or let you host a makeover party at my house — but I won’t sign up to sell anything “under” you.

A certain friend I’ve had since high school seems to jump into all of these companies, sticking to none. She’s constantly signing up for a chance to get rich quick, each time making our friendship “awkward.” Why is it awkward, you ask?

1) This friend has an advanced degree in the medical field and makes six figures easily in that field, yet she’s always “broke” for some reason. I don’t get it. 

2) She’s not really passionate about makeup or legal services or however many “linx,” hence why she’s always dropping one for the next. I think she’d be better off finding a second income stream doing something in her field or something that she really loves. 

3) Each time she gets involved with a new company she approaches me like I’m a stranger and gives me the same canned “this is an AMAZING opportunity to make extra money/be your own boss” speech that they taught her word-for-word at the seminar. This, despite knowing already what my answer will be.

Each time I say “no, I’m not interested,” she gets an attitude. Awkward. This time she’s even resorted to not returning phone calls, leaving me to wonder, am I a bad friend? Am I not supportive? I’m so over it at this point. I’m about THISclose to giving up on trying to make our friendship work.

What do you think, Gems? Could this be because she views me as not supportive? Should I keep reaching out to my (former?) friend? Or accept that we’ve likely grown apart because of all this and let her go pout and sell?

SOUND OFF!