Disabilities, Dreams, and Deceit: My LuLaRoe Story (Contributed Article)

You've all seen the ads for the brightly colored "buttery soft" leggings. I have many pairs of my own, and love the way the dresses and shirts fit me. I feel "pretty" when I wear them, and for someone like me, that's a big deal.

As someone who escaped an emotionally abusive DV situation, my self esteem was next to nothing.

Couple that with my various disabilities, inability to hold down a job because of them, and the subsequent bullying that forced me to "quit" my last job, and you have a recipe for, well, me.

I was a vulnerable mess. My previous employer had hired an attorney to attend an EEOC mediation regarding my request for reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. That attorney skillfully played me like a broken down fiddle, until I collapsed under the pressure, dissociated, and scratched the skin off of my hand in a blind panic.

Cue LuLaRoe.

It had been several months since the EEOC fiasco. My amazing husband had been nothing but supportive, and I had filed for SSDI with a feeling that was a mixture of self-loathing and disgust.

I had grown up thinking that people on SSDI, and food stamps etc, were somehow lesser people. That they were "leeching off the government" or "just lazy".

I hid the fact that I was approved for SSDI in around 3 months with no appeals. (This is a ridiculously short time, and it just further cemented my hatred of the fact that I was officially disabled.)

No one really understood my inner turmoil. I HATED being on SSDI. It made me feel like less of a person, and a burden to everyone. Anytime I would hesitantly bring up the subject, I was brushed off and told to "just get a job, you'll feel better."

Fast forward several months. I'm loving this LuLaRoe stuff. It's helped my self esteem so much. I decided that I wanted to share this experience with others.

I threw myself into my research. I read articles, I watched YouTube videos, I ran the numbers, and then I ran them again for good measure.

After several weeks of research, all seeming to lead to the same conclusion of "you should definitely do this", I finally started reaching out to various consultants.

Their cookie cutter answers should have been my first red flag.

I spoke to probably 6-7 different consultants. Each of them spun this glorious tale of how LuLaRoe had changed their lives, and that they had paid off their initial investment within the first 3 weeks to 3 months.

Intrigued, I began asking questions. "I'm disabled," I said, "and I can't do in-home popups or travel from place to place because of it. Can I sell online?"

Oh yes, I was assured. You can sell solely online and make a killing! "It's hard work, but you can set your own hours, and work at your own pace, so it's perfect for someone with disabilities!"

I was told this lie by multiple consultants, all eager to get me on their teams to earn bigger bonus checks.

"I don't have the $5k-6k to start up though." I remember saying.

"Oh just take out an interest free credit card, you'll pay it back in no time!"

Against my better judgment, I decided to take the plunge. I was cautiously optimistic. This could be my chance to be a "normal" contributing member of society!

I bought over $1k worth of supplies. Hangers, racks, rack covers, dress forms, photography backdrop and light kit, polymailers, a printer, ink cartridges, label paper etc.

Then I got the call for onboarding. I excitedly picked out the styles I wanted and gave my card info over the phone (I had to spread it out over 3 different credit cards.)

I worked HARD. I set my own pace, took breaks as needed, and took my time to make sure my initial inventory photos were flawless. I even bought photoshop so I could adjust white balance to ensure proper colors in my photos.

I also started the trend of "picture in a picture" to show detail up close.

I had a LOT of duplicates in that first initial order. Up to 5 of the same print in the same size and style. But I wasn't worried. After all, "everything sells!"

My first pop up date approached. My up-line shared my group in her group, and I had a stellar first sale. Over $1k in sales! Not bad for one night.

Time to put that on the credit card, right? Nope. I had to turn around and spend every penny of that money on new inventory, and shipping costs.

Okay, I thought. No big deal. I'll just promote my group in some of the BST groups to get some more customers!

Nope. I was pulled aside by my up-line and informed that it was against policies and procedures to sell or advertise in BST groups.

Confused, I agreed. Okay. So I can't do that, and my old items are clogging up my inventory. What is it they say? "Think like a retailer."

So I discounted some of the hideous blocky camouflage and Dorito dresses. They still didn't sell.

I managed to get Valentine's Day leggings. They sold like hotcakes! But again, all of my "profits" went towards refreshing my inventory.

Fast forward a couple months. I'm struggling to sell things now, even at a discount. Suddenly I receive an email from Home Office.

"You may no longer advertise any price that is below our MAP pricing."

What? Okay...

Sales slumped even more. I began selling less than 10 pieces per sale.

I was struggling to order my 33 piece minimum each month. I was pushing myself farther and farther into debt to keep my "active status". I still had not paid anything off on a credit card.

Then came the era of the multi-consultant/professional hostess sales.

I joined a professional hostess group and my sales spiked. I was doing quite well, though my "profits" were all poured back into new inventory.

Sales began to slow quite quickly however due to the massive influx of new consultants. "Oversaturation isn't a problem! You all have different stuff!"

Except it was a problem. Sales hit an all time low for me. I was stuck. No longer allowed to discount, no longer allowed to sell in BST groups. Rumors began floating around about home office wanting to put a stop to multiconsultant/professional hostess groups too.

"We want to go back to Deanne's original vision of in-home pop-ups and one on one interactions with customers."

What? I joined under the impression that I could make a decent living doing this online only. I am limited by both physical and mental disabilities and was never able to do the in-home aspect of things. I was assured this was no problem.

I quit selling. Not even other consultants would take my remaining inventory. My interest free period is over for all three credit cards, and they are still maxed out.

I am in the hole a significant amount. Not to mention the items that were "backordered" or just plain missing from each shipment. I'm owed $427 from that alone, and no one at home office will respond to emails.

I have been thrust back into my worst nightmare. So many things that are being said that were also said about my DV situation.

"If you don't like it, then leave."

"You must not have been trying hard enough."

"How dare you say anything bad about this company when they have blessed so many people???"

And on, and on. It's left me defeated, and heavily in debt.

"A sign of an abusive relationship is when one party discusses the importance of things to them.

Then the other shares their ideas and feelings and they are either ignored or told to shut up." said another former LuLaRoe consultant, who is in the same boat I am.

And it's true. Any complaints or suggestions of changes that could be made are scoffed at and we are told that our attitudes are "not in line with LuLaRoe culture."

One consultant had her LuLaRoe account frozen because she dared to admin a "free speech" page, where other consultants could vent their frustrations with things that were happening. People infiltrated this secret Facebook group, took screenshots, and reported her to compliance, who then shut her down until she either stepped down as admin of the page, or "realigned the page with something more indicative of LuLaRoe culture."

When I had the audacity to complain about the company's issues with getting me the inventory I paid for, I was threatened with a trade libel suit if I posted anything negative about the company on social media.

You heard that right. An attorney from LuLaRoe's legal team THREATENED TO SUE ME for complaining about missing over $400 in inventory that I paid for and never received.

Gaslighting. Intimidation tactics. Constant micromanaging.

Many more consultants have begun coming forward.

"They say they love us....but yet they keep beating us down. Everything is your fault....regardless of what it is."

"The company is manipulative and the mean girls culture is definitely hurtful.

They also send some really conflicting messages to me... they are fairly body-positive yet hella conservative. They actually seem to pass judgement upon those of us that are not white, stay at home suburban moms.

Aside from that, there was a point right before the whole new bless/tax crap started happening that it seemed certain they were going to begin trying to ban us from being involved with any of the BSTs or pro hos. To me, this was exceedingly ableist- they wanted to force consultants into Deanne's old school in-home pop up structure and had they done that, people like me would have had to give up simply because we are not physically capable of doing that."

"I think one of the things that really upset me was being told I'm making poor choices and not working my business if I prioritize a child's event or snuggling with my husband on the sofa to watch an hour of tv above working 24/7. They don't promote a healthy work life balance at all and actually act as a wedge between women they're saying their empowering and our families. It's extremely unhealthy. And they shame us and call us ungrateful."

All of these stories and more have begun to surface lately. I left these quotes anonymous, because many consultants/former consultants are legitimately afraid of retribution for saying anything negative.

LuLaRoe is taking advantage of disabled people. The promises of disability friendly work, working from home, convincing people who can't otherwise hold down a job that if they just invest in this opportunity the blessings will follow!

And then when we inevitably fail, we are told it's because "it's not for everyone" and "you're not trying hard enough."

They are taking advantage of everyone for sure.

But as someone who is disabled, I feel especially screwed over.

This was supposed to be my chance to be a functioning member of society and to contribute financially to my family again.

And it's devastating to pour my everything into this venture, and when I fail, to have people brush me off and say "I needed to try harder."

I was promised a job that would supplement if not make obsolete the meager amount of SSDI I receive each month.

Now all I'm left with is crippling debt, a horde of ugly Dorito print dresses and shirts, and a constant fear of reprisal from LuLaRoe if I speak up about their mistreatment of people with disabilities.

I am happy that there are consultants who are somehow managing to make a profit. (Lord knows I didn't in spite of hustling my butt off.)

I wish those consultants continual success with LuLaRoe.

But we are having to speak out because LuLaRoe is NOT LISTENING to the consultants who have issues with the way certain things are done. They aren't hearing us. So this is our way of shouting louder.

My hope is that LuLaRoe will fix these issues, and that the consultants who decide to stay will continue to flourish.

But I'm not going to be silent anymore. This whole thing is leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

As a survivor of a domestic abuse situation, what LuLaRoe is doing to its consultants rings too eerily familiar.

The gaslighting. The "shut up and do what you're told" mentality. The victim blaming.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I was raised to fight for what is good, and right. And right now, that is not LuLaRoe.

The consultants who are upset and FINALLY speaking out are getting attacked for expressing their opinions. And it's so not fair. Again, it reminds me of my ex:

"No one forced you into this relationship."

"Look at the good things he(they) do. You're just making things up to hurt him(them)."

"If you don't like it, why don't you leave?" (I have literally had this said to me for BOTH situations.)

It's time to stand up for what's right. Stop criticizing consultants/ex consultants who are finally feeling brave enough to leave an abusive relationship.

Hold LuLaRoe accountable for their actions.

I may be disabled, but I am far from helpless. I am not a pushover. I am a fighter. And I will keep fighting until LuLaRoe steps up, and changes their ways.

(MommyGyver caveat: I know Christina personally. We met through LuLaRoe. She wanted to share her story and I offered my blog as a platform to do so. I have not edited, proof read, checked for content, or verified information. Christina Gooch sent this document to me as an account of her own story.)