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I had just moved to Jacksonville, Florida when I answered one of their ads. It took years for me to admit to myself how easily I was brainwashed....

But I WANTED to believe I could really make that much money, and I didn't want to admit I was wrong to the people in my life that cared about me who could clearly see what I couldn't; that it was all a lie. Scentura creations preys on young, often uneducated, out going people longing for acceptance and desperate for money. I should know, I helped write those ads and teach those classes.... I even opened 'my' own 'business' in Tallahassee, FL.

Progressive design was the main office I 'worked' at. Amber Belknap and Sean Shinick were the owners. To this day it would be very hard for me to NOT to spit on both of them because of what I lost, which was everything. I.

Lost. Everything. All of my possessions (furniture, clothes, cd's, etc), my car (which was repoed because they said they were making my car payments but they weren't), my self respect, dignity, and integrity. For what?

Going up to people in parking lots and asking them to 'smell this'.

Please please reconsider if you are involved with this company....

I can prove everything I've said and my email address is: mharriswine@***.com if you have ANY questions or really want the TRUTH about scentura creations.

Location: Iron Station, North Carolina

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Guest

It's unfortunate that the owners *** their people over. It really makes me sick, but thats not Scentura's fault.

Believe it or not you can run an honest deal, you can tell the people its straight commission. You might not get as many people but you will have better people and sleep better at night. It's the piece of *** owners who feel they have to lie and cheat their people. I must say that if you were in the business for 10 years, you should have been in control of your money and not relying on someone to make your car payments.

All of these stories favor the writer as they should, but I don't think anyone is being honest about ALL of their experience. I have had experience with dishonest owners and closed them if they worked for me. The point that I am making is that its not Scentura or Larrys fault that some people wind up being dishonest. They only provide the business opportunity and the merchandise on consignment.

Can they work on fixing that? In that aspect I would say yes because it discredits the product, which actually is an excellent product and really sells itself. It's a shame that the company isnt doing a better job as a whole to be what it could be fundamentally.

I would definitely set it up different and share the wealth with everyone from president to new person. There is enough money for everyone.

Guest

Hi, just read your comment about scentura creations, thank you. Actually, i purchased some cologne yesterday and I'm more so concerned about the transaction.

The field rep used pay pal on her cell phone to complete the transaction. It wasn't until later that i felt uneasy about it. I was able to obtain a name and number for the so called supervisor but after calling several times he never responded.

The name of the scamming agency is Crash Course Management. Do you have any suggestions???

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-687178

I wouldn't worry about the rep stealing your money. Their recruiting might be unorthodox and misleading but that's not illegal.

Stealing IS, so I wouldn't lose sleep fearing they will drain your account. They hustle, but they don't steal.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-979191

Are you kidding me? A hustler, someone who sells or obtains property thru fraud and deception, wouldn't steal?

You believe that?

Guess who else obtains property and money thru fraud and deception? A THIEF!!!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-687178

I hope you cancelled your card! These shady offices don't run background checks on anyone!

You think they won't steal from you? Don't kid yourself.

Guest

I fell for this scam in the early 90's...I had a job, sold the stuff to family and bought therest myself just to see...was promised for 3 months I would get my own office and finally overheard the "head honchos" talking about how to get rid of me. For me it ended great since I punched my "boss" in the face and told him what would happen if I ever saw him again. 2 weeks later the office I "worked" out of was closed.

Guest

Justin, I don't know how I missed you responding to my post, but I never got an email notification. If I had, I surely would have responded immediately. You posted your response in early September.... so I'm willing to bet you no longer work for the branch you were at. I know you did, and were probably not an executive director/manager but in your 2nd or 3rd week. God... lol... I remember defending them almost VERBATIM the way you did...more importantly I remember what I COULDN'T tell 'FNPs' or the new unwilling suckers that answered our fake ad. And that was HOW they were going to get paid. As you know, the loud music, young 'staff', crazy loud chants and cheers, and such are supposed to take their minds off of normal job interview questions.

Question- is this a commission only job?

Answer- no! You make money off of OTHER people selling stuff!

Question- how do I get paid?

Answer- we pay you cash for your training!!

Question- what are the hours?

Answer- however long you want to make money!!

Do I really have to go over each question and answer scenario that you know good and *** well happens and that you've probably said yourself?

As far as your direct sales/pampered chef argument. No where in the same universe are they the same thing. Pampered chef sales reps get little parties together often at a request of someone wanting to host one. It is a SOLID product that people intentionally seek out. Do reps ask people to come? Sure. But they don't chase you down in parking lots at midnight to tell you about garlic peelers, and you know it.

As far as no one holding a gun to anyone's head.... you're right, they didn't. They DO however intentionally take advantage of young single mothers, high school drop outs, and poor white people. They tell them they're gonna make 60k a year, finally be cool! And be able to say '*** you!' To everyone who told you selling perfume was a bad idea! They DO tell these kids they're going to make money.... I told kids they were going to make lots of money, and the whole time I was making about $60 bucks a week.... I taught and 'interviewed' during the week and ran power cars on the weekend. I'd sell 10-15 btls in a night then go back for Saturday 'pep rally result meetings'.

They INTENTIONALLY LIE TO PEOPLE. They have to! If they were honest and upfront with every person that walked thru the door NO ONE would stay, and you know it!

And that 'independent contractor' form is a joke. We handed people a piece of paper that was the size of an index card, that had been xeroxed so many times you couldn't even make the little words out and told them it was a liability form for the merchandise (Perfume). Because if we told them the truth they would ask questions, and no one wanted that, ever.

I really hope you got out before it was too late.

Michelle

Guest

When I "worked" for Donny and Holly in Middlesex, NJ, they also claimed that if you opened a business they would help pay for your car. Its all lies that they feed people.

I stayed and saw four offices tank.

As in, the owners lost everything and had to go back to training. I was told on average I would fail at least three times before I made it.

Guest

A lot of people come onto these complaint boards to slam Scentura, or the office that recruited them, or the product, etc.

It's really not that complicated... You're given a product that you don't have to pay for until after you sell it. Then you're taught how to sell it. It's a numbers game, just see the people. Not a very exciting or glamorous way to sell something, but it works. Companies all across the country are using this sales strategy. It's called Direct Sales. Warren Buffett recently bought a direct sales company (The Pampered Chef).

Once you're strong in the field, you train others and run sales trips. This is a microcosm of running an office. Learn to run a sales trip and manage money/merchandise for 3 or 4 people, then move onto running an office with 20 or more people, and thousands in money/merch.

After you've learned to run teams and trips, you learn administration and recruiting. Then you get a shot to run you're own deal. That's all there is to it.

It's not a job, it's a chance to learn a business FOR FREE. It's a chance to have someone else fund the opening of YOUR business. And yes, they make money when you open your office. Which is why they are invested in your success. This is why they start new groups every week. The more people they can teach this business and get them into their own office, the more money they make. That's how you know their desire to help you succeed is for real, that's how you know they're not lying to you - YOU WILL GET YOUR OWN OFFICE if you finish training.

Every owner pays the same price on the merchandise. There are people who have only been open a couple years that are making more money than people who've been doing it 5 years. It's not a pyramid, it's a level playing field. Everyone has the same opportunity to open their own office and promote out new owners. The margins and the opportunity to make money are the same, whether you've been around for 20 years, or you're brand new. And doesn't it make sense to work in an environment where everyone around you actually wants you to succeed, versus secretly hoping you fail so you don't take their job? You decide.

If it's not for you, don't do it. The way people talk on these scam boards, they act like someone held a gun to their head and made them do it. And I'd be willing to bet they were NEVER ONCE told they'd receive a salary, an hourly wage, or any other set pay during training or when they open. More likely, they were given income PARAMETERS. Which means if you do things right, you can expect to make between X and Y.

And once they started, they probably signed an Independent Contractor agreement. You know what that means? It means you're not an employee. You know why? Because it's not a job. You're in training to learn a business.

Either do the business, or don't. It's not that complicated.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-538096

Justin, I have never seen anyone selling pampered chef products in a walmart gas station parking, begging people to buy their products, then asking if they could spare a buck so they could get a burger from McDonalds! Don't even try to make the comparison between parking lot hustler and quality products sold at parties.

Guest

Because Christina, their whole empire would come crumbling down if they actually told the TRUTH. Too many people have suffered.... I only hope one of the new 'prospects' reads what I've written

Guest

I worked for them as a receptionist. I quit because my job was to LIE to people.

I was told to tell people it was a managerial position when it was really door to door sales. Why can't they just be honest and say that you will be selling perfume on the street? Sure, if you find enough people to buy the stuff and then you have people under you, that's great. But that's 1 out of 100.

I saw too much heartache and so I left. And that's the truth.

Guest

i was no longer living at my mothers house because they convinced me she was a 'negative influence on my life'. any notices went to her house.....

i had no money so i couldnt afford s cell phone. i believed they were making it for me.... like i said, it took years for me to get over how easily i was brainwashed. i was 21 and bought into everything they said.

i blame myself for being so gullable, but i promise you... they ttold me they were making that payment...

Guest

You mean that you didn't bother to check to see if they were actually making your car payments? You didn't get notices or calls from the bank

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