I attended a free seminar in March in Sacramento CA with the same 'first 10 to buy in get their money back'... The initial cost $2,000 was comfortable and I was very excited about the 3 day workshop where I was to learn all the tricks of the trade and have access to all sorts of software, financing, etc.
The 3 day workshop was frustrating. Most of the time was spent looking at family photos and story - telling of the trainers and their fabulous lives and 'look at all the great things you can do when you're rich!'. Did I really just pay $2,000 for someone to tell me how great financial freedom really is?!?!? I wasn't impressed. And I wasn't happy about giving up a weekend with my family to sit through what was yet, another sales pitch. Basically all the training I thought I had bought for $2,000 was nothing more than paying $2,000 for them to continue to pitch the same products and services they had pitched at the FREE seminar. This was manipulative and should have been a RED FLAG.
I bought it. I paid an additional $20,000 for the Proptrend Software and complete access to Insider's Cash. And of course the additional CD's and "FREE" trip to Vegas (Haven't gone to Buyer's Summit yet but I suspect it's another sales pitch, right?). To be honest, this seemed like a decent buy - yes on the expensive side but believe it or not, this was the CHEAP package. I just told myself, education is expensive. However, I do specifically recall asking my 'sales agent', "This is it right? After I buy this silver package that's it? No more selling in Vegas, etc.? Nothing being hidden for purchase later?" And Gina assured me, this was THE purchase and nothing more.
As I started watching the videos they seemed to be nothing more than full length pieces of the CDs I had already listened to (the CD's that I received for signing up for the 3 day workshop; my $2,000 CDs). This was annoying and disappointing. No sooner could I finish this training and I receive a phone call from Dean's "Inner Circle". I would say it was maybe 3-4 weeks after my workshop. A gentleman tells me how rich and successful he is, gives me his cattle ranch website so I can go see for myself, and then says something like 'it's a privilege to be a part of Dean's Inner Circle and we need to interview you and make sure you’re a good fit for our program'. I was excited. I'm a stay at home mom of a 1 year old and I've already spent $22,000 of MY savings on this education so sure, call me tomorrow and I'll be happy to interview for this privileged opportunity.
And wouldn't you know it? They liked me! But... That will be $15,000 for personal mentoring, investor's pipeline software, a trip to Utah, a series of training modules/videos, etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. And I did it! Here is where I started to feel a little sick to my stomach. But I believe in financial freedom and I believe in real estate - how could this not be a good thing?
I just recently completed 90% of the training modules and my weekly coaching with the mentor. This was supposed to be 8 sessions but she only called 7 times and it was nothing other than me telling her what actions I've been taking in the real estate market (have I posted bandit signs? Ghost ads? Joined an REI? Business Cards? Llc? Etc. - all kinds of things that also cost me money.). The phone calls weren't value added. And the training modules? There was nothing different about them than what I already had on CD from my FREE seminar and 3 day workshop. Although, some lessons contradicted themselves. One would say "Take $10K as a finder's fee" and the other would say "Take $2K as a finder's fee". Things like that, and along those lines, I do not and never have wanted to be a part of contract assignment, bird dogging, fast cash, etc. I don't feel morally right talking someone out of their home at less than market value just so I can resell it to a bigger investor. From the day I started this PMI training (the Inner Circle) I was very clear that I wanted to do rehab/flips and acquire rentals. I wanted to learn how to evaluate properties, spot a great deal/investment for myself - not for someone else. And all the focus was continually on 'bandit signs and ghost ads, find your buyers and assign contracts'. That's NOT what I wanted from the education/training.
Today, I can spot good deals and I know that I can call Insider's Cash for 75% of the purchase, but I need the other 25% and rehab money... It's sad I don't $37,000 to actually make my deals. And it's so hard to admit that I was suckered. Just this week I started to feel 'alone'. I decided to get on his website and read some success stories and I got really nervous when I started noticing that the posts on his site are from 2011. No one is bragging in 2013. I start to feel anyone that does post or comment are probably employees and part of his enterprise just to keep up the hype and the scam. I don't trust there are real people with real success stories. My trust was violated and I feel foolish. I'm a smart girl and I should have known better. I regret giving that last $15,000. That's A LOT of money. I feel bad for the people that bought the $60K package, and even the Inner Circle offer had packages up to $30K. I bought the least expensive of both... So there's a little, very little comfort there.
To get a portion of my investment back would be a blessing. I watch Dean's weekly wisdoms and find him to be a nice guy - at least I want to believe that. I do think there was value in the information provided, but I don't believe it was worth $37K, I don't believe it’s not something that can't be learned elsewhere and I don't like the concept of manipulating people for thousands and thousands of dollars.
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