Janelle Brown: Smarter Than Your Average Brown (Maybe)

[toodles]

I feel it's my duty as your STRIVE with Janelle reporter to keep everyone up to date.  

Here is the ticket update: 

200 free tickets- 180 remaining

1300 $5 tickets-1300 remaining-to buy online, the fee is $.87

100 $75 VIP tickets-100 remaining-to buy online, the fee is $4.75

For those keeping score at home, that's 1600 tickets available for this event.  So far, they can't even GIVE tickets away.  They must have a big-ass ballroom if they expect that many people.  You're talking big bucks for the venue rental.

Further updates when I remember to do it.

 

Btw:  the event is 10/1, but your last chance for tickets is 10/22.

4 hours ago, toodles said:

Double post

Edited September 18, 2016 by toodles
'Cause my math was crappy and my correction didn't take the first time

[Kohola3]

Oh, geez, I don't usually feel sorry for any of these nimrods but this is pretty pitiful.

[Jellybeans]

There may further reductions.  ;-)

[AZChristian]

Even with only 20 tickets given away for free, they're on track to make more money out of this than they ever did with My Sisterwives Closet.

LOL.

[RealityCowgirl]

But seriously. If someone is so low that she/he looks UP to this person, well, it may be too late. Whar kind of inspirational example can she offer? What accomplishments, personal or professional, can she discuss? What life wisdom can she offer that we might apply to our own? 

Why does this feel like just another money-making scam to me?

[Kohola3]

Quote

Why does this feel like just another money-making scam to me?

Apparently it looks like a scam to a lot of people as evidenced by the dearth of ticket sales - no one is even taking the free ones.  With their history of grifting it's hard not to imagine this thing being another pyramid scheme.  

Luckily Toodles (our trusty on-the-scene reporter) is savvy enough to leave her checkbook at home.

[Galloway Cave]

4 hours ago, RealityCowgirl said:

Whar kind of inspirational example can she offer?

That she is even able to smile while living in a polygamous marriage? That she hasn't killed her douchebag of a husband after 20 something years of "marriage"? That she has lived with the Queen of Passive/Aggressive during that entire marriage and hasn't killed her too? That she has financially supported this mob and personally managed their Brown Family Plan of Grift?

The only thing I would find inspirational about Janelle Brown is if she left that sorry shithead, got real and told the world the realities of living polygamy. And maybe ran a halfway house for women and children leaving the cult.

[toodles]

Your STRIVE with Janelle reporter here.  I checked the website to look at the available ticket count and I couldn't see it.  You still can order tickets though.

Is someone on team Janelle reading this site?  Or it could be I'm not looking in the right place.

If they were working on the website, they should have changed the 10/22 date.

[Celia Rubenstein]

hmmm, very interesting ... I don't see any place that says what tickets are gone/available either.   But I didn't check it out before so I can't tell if it's been removed or if I am just looking in the wrong place too, though.

If they took it down, it was a smart move because making it obvious there is not much interest won't help.  Not everyone has the guts of our toodles and will just walk out when she's had enough even though there are only like 20 people there, and they might just decide to not go at all if they know it's going to be a very small crowd. 

[SongbirdHollow]

I'm just loving the name STRIVE. Like, no promises here, just give a shot, eh?

Reminds me of the old SEPTA (Philly transportation system) slogan - "We're getting there." We're not there yet, but, hey, it's worth a try.

[AZChristian]

I saw the web page several days ago, and it DID have the number of tickets left for each tier.  Not now.  I agree with Celia Rubenstein; they realized it wasn't a good idea to publicize the fact that there's no interest.  Typical Brown behavior - didn't think it through before they published it.

[toodles]

30 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

I saw the web page several days ago, and it DID have the number of tickets left for each tier.  Not now.  I agree with Celia Rubenstein; they realized it wasn't a good idea to publicize the fact that there's no interest.  Typical Brown behavior - didn't think it through before they published it.

Good.  Then it wasn't just me.  I doubt actual Browns had much to do with this website. It's a pretty good site from what I can see.

Last I heard MSWC website directs you to porn site.

[AZChristian]

I just looked at it.  It's back to the usual crap they sell.

[JenMcSnark]

I just reserved a free ticket.  I'm not sure I'll make it since I live in California, but we'll see.  Someone has to have toodles' back!

[SometimesBites]

"This is my personal place to share my journey to making the most of everything I have been blessed with; and I invite you to do the same."

1. Most motivational speakers have either ACTUALLY accomplished something that others would like to emulate, and/or they have spent time laying the groundwork before booking a 1,600 person event: a successful blog, a well-received self-help book, etc. WTF has Janelle Brown done to command an audience that size??? Once again, the Brown hubris kicks in, the la-la land belief that the whole world is waiting with bated breath to shower them with adulation and money. 2. That quote above, from the website: IF YOU WANT TO LOOK PRO, JANELLE, THEN FOR FUCK SAKE LEARN HOW TO USE A SEMICOLON (or hire someone to professionally proofread your copy).

Just wanting to do something inspiring does not make you inspiring. How about you actually carve out a successful personal career in real estate? How about you actually lose a significant amount of weight and keep it off more than a year? Why the hell would anyone find Janelle inspiring? They want tips on how to scamp their trash collection bill? 

Edited September 19, 2016 by SometimesBites

[AZChristian]

Back before MSWC, Janelle wanted to open a gym for the non-skinny.  Grody shot it down because Sobbyn wanted to create MSWC.  This "Strive" thing sounds like running a gym program without renting a building.  I'd bet they're just hawking memberships and/or DVDs for the program.  Kind of like Whitney on My Big Fat Fabulous Life.  An overweight person selling exercise programs based on no other expertise than a semi-recognizable name because of "fame" on a reality show.

I even wonder if TLC is part of this.

[toodles]

9 hours ago, JenMcSnark said:

I just reserved a free ticket.  I'm not sure I'll make it since I live in California, but we'll see.  Someone has to have toodles' back!

Bless you.

[AZChristian]

5 minutes ago, toodles said:

Bless you.

I live in Phoenix, am retired, and have plenty of time to go to Vegas.  I was tempted to join in with the PTV group, but I'm still recovering from knee replacement surgery and I can't run fast.  LOL.

[toodles]

Reruns are not the Browns' friend.  Today was the MSWC "investors" meeting.  It's probably off topic for this thread, but they were supposed to be grossing $10m in 2016 on MSWC crap.  Since Janelle is the wiz-bang financial genius behind MSWC, I hope someone else is running this current venture.  And I hope whoever that someone is does not have the last name of Brown.

The coming up shows Janelle going to be gym with trainer Sean.  She is climbing the rock wall, but her blog says she isn't sure how to work gym equipment.  Tlc is not showing the reruns in any particular order so they may not show her gym workouts.  But really, Janelle?

Edited September 19, 2016 by toodles

[Rainflower]

58 minutes ago, toodles said:

Reruns are not the Browns' friend.  Today was the MSWC "investors" meeting.  It's probably off topic for this thread, but they were supposed to be grossing $10m in 2016 on MSWC crap.  Since Janelle is the wiz-bang financial genius behind MSWC, I hope someone else is running this current venture.  And I hope whoever that someone is does not have the last name of Brown.

The coming up shows Janelle going to be gym with trainer Sean.  She is climbing the rock wall, but her blog says she isn't sure how to work gym equipment.  Tlc is not showing the reruns in any particular order so they may not show her gym workouts.  But really, Janelle?

If they are grossing that much, I wonder why they couldn't afford better accommodations in Hawaii. As for not working the gym equipment, maybe she was trying to drum up sympathy. I seriously hope she doesn't try the "I am a dumb blonde" route. That has been played to death by others and it isn't cute especially in a woman as old as her.

[AZChristian]

They pulled those numbers out of thin air, loosely based on the number of hits on the website. In reality, a lot of those hits are people who are looking, laughing, and scratching their heads at the prices of the tacky stuff there.

[laurakaye]

1 hour ago, toodles said:

Today was the MSWC "investors" meeting.  It's probably off topic for this thread, but they were supposed to be grossing $10m in 2016 on MSWC crap.

...they were supposed to be grossing $10m in 2016 on MSWC crap. (fixed)

Did they really think they were going to make $10 million??  Is that what the "m" stands for?  Because that's just.........did they really think that?

Godspeed, Toodles, on your STRIVE venture!  Don't drink the Kool-Aid OR the green goo!!

[toodles]

They really said $10 million.  Conservatively.  I think your correction is a much more accurate figure.

Also, they asked for $2.5 million from the suckers investors and stated they could return the investment by 2017.  I don't recall ever hearing a definitive answer as far the investor money goes.  As one point they were supposed to get some money, but I don't remember how much it was.

I'm not drinking anything the Browns offer.  Period.  LOL

[riverblue22]

This STRIVE program of Janelle's seems much bigger than her.  She seems like a front, signed on to bring in the suckers.  Could it be some scheme which puts together known personalities, trainers, and customers with money who will buy DVDs, attend workshops, and buy into some kind of fitness concept?  I can see weekend events, cruises, and all sorts of ways to get women to hand over money in the interest of their health.  Look at the empire Richard Simmons built!

[toodles]

23 minutes ago, riverblue22 said:

This STRIVE program of Janelle's seems much bigger than her.  She seems like a front, signed on to bring in the suckers.  Could it be some scheme which puts together known personalities, trainers, and customers with money who will buy DVDs, attend workshops, and buy into some kind of fitness concept?  I can see weekend events, cruises, and all sorts of ways to get women to hand over money in the interest of their health.  Look at the empire Richard Simmons built!

That's what I think too.  But it's doubtful that 1600 people want to see Janelle Brown sell something.  Especially something that hundreds of infomercial people already sell.  

[AZChristian]

1 hour ago, toodles said:

They really said $10 million.  Conservatively.  I think your correction is a much more accurate figure.

Also, they asked for $2.5 million from the suckers investors and stated they could return the investment by 2017.  I don't recall ever hearing a definitive answer as far the investor money goes.  As one point they were supposed to get some money, but I don't remember how much it was.

I'm not drinking anything the Browns offer.  Period.  LOL

The "investors" were hired actors.  There was no money to invest, other than each of them investing in a cup of Starbucks after the episode was filmed.

[Jel]

10 million "expected" from the joory business?  With a market of what--I mean how many women in the US are actually sister wives anyway? (Who else would wear that stuff?)

Hired actors posing as investors?

Can't see to type anymore, screen covered by red flags.

 

ETA: oh, and 1,600 person venue hey -- hmm is there such a thing as "poor ticket sales" insurance? Just saying.

Edited September 19, 2016 by Jel

[AZChristian]

1 hour ago, Jel said:

Hired actors posing as investors?

ETA: oh, and 1,600 person venue hey -- hmm is there such a thing as "poor ticket sales" insurance? Just saying.

One of the "investors" was a quasi-celebrity named Stevie K.  Another was her husband.  And the third is known to be a "friend" of Kody's.  Hired actors posing as investors . . . every one of them.  And the decision was supposed to be made in 4-6 weeks.  Never heard another peep about money being made available.

"Poor ticket sales" insurance . . . more likely known as "non-refundable deposit."

[Celia Rubenstein]

Ten million dollars???????  Do you know how many cheesy necklaces and ugly homemade purses they would have to sell to make ten million dollars??? 

I just went to their website and when I clicked on a category or pictured item I got a message saying "not found."  WTF?  I couldn't waste my money there if I wanted to.  

Have they just shut that nonsense down but don't want to completely get rid of the website for some reason?  It seems to never actually work the few times I've bothered to look at it. 

I wouldn't be surprised if this event in Vegas ends up being cancelled.  These people can't do anything right. 

[toodles]

10 minutes ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

Ten million dollars???????  Do you know how many cheesy necklaces and ugly homemade purses they would have to sell to make ten million dollars??? 

I just went to their website and when I clicked on a category or pictured item I got a message saying "not found."  WTF?  I couldn't waste my money there if I wanted to.  

Have they just shut that nonsense down but don't want to completely get rid of the website for some reason?  It seems to never actually work the few times I've bothered to look at it. 

I wouldn't be surprised if this event in Vegas ends up being cancelled.  These people can't do anything right. 

Keep in mind this is Brown math and I probably don't have the story completely straight.  BUT they said that they were gettin 5-15 million hits on their website per month(?).  I wasn't taking notes.  Anyway, they said with the investor money they could put their wiz-bang marketing plan into action.  Keep in mind that Christine is in charge of marketing.  They would turn a percentage of these hits in to sales.  Somehow.  Janelle was in charge of the numbers.  Meri was in charge of crying thru most of the episode and Robyn was in charge of bitch faces.  Kody was in charge of his hair, which as we know is a full time job.

We all threw big shade on this whole scheme when the episode first aired.  It's in the forum somewhere.  

I don't believe for one hot second that she is anything but a shill for this STRIVE business.  But if they are counting on Janelle to draw a crowd, good luck with that.  I don't get the paper so I don't know if they are running ads.  I haven't heard any radio ads either and I'm their demographic (age-wise).  Maybe she has enough Twitter followers to put some butts in the seats.  I don't use Twitter so I have no idea.  Maybe Christine is in charge of marketing this event too. I guess we'll see.

[toodles]

4 hours ago, AZChristian said:

The "investors" were hired actors.  There was no money to invest, other than each of them investing in a cup of Starbucks after the episode was filmed.

Maybe a 6 foot subway sandwich with all the fixins' too.

[Rainflower]

8 hours ago, toodles said:

 Maybe she has enough Twitter followers to put some butts in the seats.  I don't use Twitter so I have no idea. 

Twitter is no indication because people can actually buy fake twitter followers (Yes, there are people who are that shallow). Also some followers just follow just for the hell of it, for the snark, or to get a follow back (they aren't active users or fans of the people they follow and aren't likely to purchase anything that is tweeted by Janelle).

It's probably why the free tickets aren't flying for Strive after she posted the info on Twitter. The Brown family do not have a real, active fan base.

[laurakaye]

5 hours ago, Rainflower said:

It's probably why the free tickets aren't flying for Strive after she posted the info on Twitter. The Brown family do not have a real, active fan base.

And I totally want to have the cameras filming the faces of Kody and the wives at the actual moment they truly and fully comprehend this.  Especially Kody, who fancies himself a gracefully aging, charming, studly surfer-dude-brah with a following of women eager to be his #5.

If the Browns are behind this scheme STRIVE event, I'm sure they see those 1,580 empty seats as the "haterz" seats, therefore they are much better off speaking to the 20 people (and Toodles!) that do show up.  Better a small group so Janelle can connect on a deeper level with every attendee, and tweet something like, "Even tho attendance was down, I made some friends for life!! #STRIVE #believeinyourself #showmethemonaaaay"

Edited September 20, 2016 by laurakaye

[Toaster Strudel]

They don't know that a "hit" does not equal "one visitor."

My visit to this single PTV page might create 150 hits in the website log.  Every single picture and programming element is a "hit."

[Rainflower]

22 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

And I totally want to have the cameras filming the faces of Kody and the wives at the actual moment they truly and fully comprehend this.  Especially Kody, who fancies himself a gracefully aging, charming, studly surfer-dude-brah with a following of women eager to be his #5.

If the Browns are behind this scheme STRIVE event, I'm sure they see those 1,580 empty seats as the "haterz" seats, therefore they are much better off speaking to the 20 people (and Toodles!) that do show up.  Better a small group so Janelle can connect on a deeper level with every attendee, and tweet something like, "Even tho attendance was down, I made some friends for life!! #STRIVE #believeinyourself #showmethemonaaaay"

They should already know this since not a lot of people are tweeting about their tacky jewelry business. After all, they allowed their site to be hacked and traffic diverted to a porn site for quite some time.

STRIVE will go the same way.

A bit off topic:

Does anyone know a thing about the personal trainers that is listed on StrivewithJanelle.com? I find it strange that none of the coaches linked back to personal websites, social media accounts, or any information showing their years of qualifications or examples of clients they helped, etc. The little description next to each of them tells me nothing.

Most online fitness coaches I follow have personal blogs, facebook pages, twitter accounts, etc. Wouldn't it be the same for offline personal coaches?

I am curious as to what their price ranges are and services they offer both in the past and now. Five personal coaches/trainers cannot come at a cheap price and the Brown family aren't sitting on a goldmine of cash. Also, does Nevada has public bankruptcy information like Utah? I wonder if they are putting all these expenses on credit only to file for bankruptcy later.

Quote

Think you have what it takes to meet the unique needs of our clients? Become a STRIVE Coach! We’d love to add to our team of trusted trainers.

Yep, I agree with others that this has ponzi scheme written all over it.

[momofsquid]

I wonder if this Strive thing is any related to the semi-success of the Whitney Way Thore train wreck. Hey, says TLC/the Browns, the masses are clamoring for a plus-size role model! Maybe we can recast Janelle as a Relatable Big Girl Trying Her Best, since the polygamy angle has pretty much crashed and burned at this point.

[Jel]

The whole thing is so ridiculous... hey, we're a family of mostly stay at home moms with no business experience or acumen, but what the heck, let's start a multi-million dollar business! I mean, come on gang, we've got everything it takes: Christine reads magazines -- she'll do the marketing! Robyn designed one piece of jewelry once -- she'll be the designer! Janelle lost some weight (regained it, but who's counting) -- let's make her the lifestyle guru!

The whole thing is like a real life episode of The Brady Bunch, just not as clever. Or plausible. 

[toodles]

6 hours ago, Rainflower said:

They should already know this since not a lot of people are tweeting about their tacky jewelry business. After all, they allowed their site to be hacked and traffic diverted to a porn site for quite some time.

STRIVE will go the same way.

A bit off topic:

Does anyone know a thing about the personal trainers that is listed on StrivewithJanelle.com? I find it strange that none of the coaches linked back to personal websites, social media accounts, or any information showing their years of qualifications or examples of clients they helped, etc. The little description next to each of them tells me nothing.

Most online fitness coaches I follow have personal blogs, facebook pages, twitter accounts, etc. Wouldn't it be the same for offline personal coaches?

I am curious as to what their price ranges are and services they offer both in the past and now. Five personal coaches/trainers cannot come at a cheap price and the Brown family aren't sitting on a goldmine of cash. Also, does Nevada has public bankruptcy information like Utah? I wonder if they are putting all these expenses on credit only to file for bankruptcy later.

Yep, I agree with others that this has ponzi scheme written all over it.

Here is what I know about bankruptcy filings in Nevada, which is not much.  I think you must file for bankruptcy and appear before a judge.  Once the bankruptcy is settled, the papers become public record.  At least that's all the bankruptcy filings I saw from years of working in real estate were handled.  

Edited September 20, 2016 by toodles

[DakotaJustice]

On September 20, 2016 at 7:31 AM, Rainflower said:

They should already know this since not a lot of people are tweeting about their tacky jewelry business. After all, they allowed their site to be hacked and traffic diverted to a porn site for quite some time.

STRIVE will go the same way.

A bit off topic:

Does anyone know a thing about the personal trainers that is listed on StrivewithJanelle.com? I find it strange that none of the coaches linked back to personal websites, social media accounts, or any information showing their years of qualifications or examples of clients they helped, etc. The little description next to each of them tells me nothing.

Most online fitness coaches I follow have personal blogs, facebook pages, twitter accounts, etc. Wouldn't it be the same for offline personal coaches?

I am curious as to what their price ranges are and services they offer both in the past and now. Five personal coaches/trainers cannot come at a cheap price and the Brown family aren't sitting on a goldmine of cash. Also, does Nevada has public bankruptcy information like Utah? I wonder if they are putting all these expenses on credit only to file for bankruptcy later.

Yep, I agree with others that this has ponzi scheme written all over it.

I've been in the fitness industry as a group instructor for 10+ years, and while I'm no celebrity by a long shot, I have been personally acquainted in person with many who are, as we all have the same employer and thus have received training with, or met at employee parties, etc.  I did look up one of the guys on Facebook and he has his first occupation as a "Movie Star/Actor".  The coach whose last name begins with a V.  Sorry I'm not motivated to search him again!

shit even I have a page with more info than he had.  And you're dead right about the importance of social media to pretty much any fitness professional.  That's what people look for when researching a trainer or fitness facility offering training.

He's a coach, and his first listing is "Movie star".  *rolleyes*

There is no product - I'm sure she's having some private-label supplements made right now (it's easy, you just go through a private label wholesaler and pick out what stuff you want to offer then design a label, pay, and wait for your shipment - I bet that the wholesaler drop-sells for them, so no repacking necessary right?) 

It's not going to be LIV or Herbalife or Amway or any other MLM, because IMO the very reason for its existence at all is for a much needed plot line.

Not much interest in Robyn's new baby, Kody's doofus schtick is wearing thin, the catfish story has run its course (I don't even care anymore, personally), people hate Robyn and Kody, and the older kids who are generally the most interesting part of the show are leaving the compound.  

It's purely for a plot line.  Janelle is the most popular of the wives, weight loss is a popular topic anyway, and now Trainer Sean has been gone long enough to be a distant memory.  MSWC is deader than dead.  Was it even mentioned last season?!?  

So they get the most popular wife + she tries to lose weight again while making some money (or trying to) by "inspiring" her fans, plus the website idea again.  As a bonus she has trainers who are looking for their big fame break (ignoring that it hasn't worked long term for either Trainer Bob or Sean) and want to be on a show.  "AS SEEN ON SISTER WIVES!" 

The only reason it exists, is to keep the show coagulating for another season.

[toodles]

I checked the website today and they added an event count down.  Free tickets are still available because I had someone request 10 and no problem.  They stopped short of completing the registration.  It signs you out after 8 minutes if you don't complete it.

I read the blog additions (slow day today) and so much been there, done that.  Everything we've all heard a million times.   Shades of the duggars with accountability buddies, making time for  yourself, living your best life, don't  listen to haters and it's just nothing new.  I said it before, but there are hundreds of infomercial people saying the same thing every day.  This is not a blog I would follow for new information.  I can read the same thing in any women's magazine.

I'm sure some people will buy whatever the Browns are selling at the presentation.  That's sad to me.  

[JudyinDallas]

Did anyone see Trainer Sean on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?  He didn't get too far, as I remember.  His mom was his plus one.

[toodles]

Tomorrow is my Strive event.  My full report to follow.

[Jel]

Godspeed, Toodles! 

So looking forward to reading your report :)

[Jellybeans]

4 minutes ago, Jel said:

Godspeed, Toodles! 

So looking forward to reading your report :)

Strive to survive!  ?

[Celia Rubenstein]

Strive to stay awake! ?

[Galloway Cave]

1 hour ago, toodles said:

Tomorrow is my Strive event.  My full report to follow.

I mentioned your field trip over on Cynical Jinx's blog and they are awaiting your report also! Good luck.

[Jel]

And Toodles, please don't come back accidentally married to Kody!

[Jellybeans]

Toodles is going to be famous.  

[Rainflower]

5 hours ago, toodles said:

Tomorrow is my Strive event.  My full report to follow.

It is a brave thing you are doing and I wish you well.

[toodles]

5 hours ago, Galloway Cave said:

I mentioned your field trip over on Cynical Jinx's blog and they are awaiting your report also! Good luck.

Oh dear.  I'm not sure I can take the pressure.  :) 

I'll wander over to cj's and give a full report.

Here are my top five reasons why I won't marry Kody:

1) He's already MARRIED

2)  He makes my skin crawl

3)  polygamy.....are you shitting me?

4)  I can support myself and no way in hell would he get his hands on my money

5)  My clothes fit.   Enough said on that.

Thanks for the support.  You all make me laugh.