DS-Max - Granton Marketing, Cydcor, Etc
My testimonial regarding DS-Max cheated employees and screwed the customers even more Portland, Burbank, Orange, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Ontario, All Over The US

I just want to submit my input to this site because I find it very beneficial that I talk about it, even though at times I cannot. I was recently let go by my owner in Portland, where I was employed as the administrator for SCO Advertising Group. So let me just say this, there is no job security in this company. They promote it in the morning meetings, but in reality, if you dont cut it, youre gone.

I started in the business on my Day of O, where I was Fear of Loss-ed at the beginning. A fresh from college graduate (my last class was the day before my first interview), I was ready to go straight to work and make a living in this world. I received the precious 2nd interview where I was walked around all day and yet I was somehow suckered into a third interview. The girl I went out with spoke about owning her own business and opening a nightclub when she was financially independent. Well she apparently knew what my hot spots were and I agreed with her that I aspired to something similar. And needless to say 6-8 months of my life didnt seem as long as the 5-10 years in corporate America. So I accepted a position with LBF Consulting Group in Burbank, CA. This is a company under the DS-Max corporate umbrella, which is also affiliated with Granton, Cydcor, etc. I was with LBF from October until June, until my leader was promoted out into the Portland, Oregon market.

Once while merching in the LA area, I was mugged on the street once in broad daylight. Needless to say, my owner didnt care that much for my welfare. She made me pay for the lost merchandise, which was only one piece, but didnt seem to care that I also lost $200 in cash, my earnings from the previous week. I didnt make that much money in comparison to the amount of time I spent in the field and at the office, which was almost 65 hours a week. I made enough to get by.

I was lucky, but I didnt have much of a savings either. I was what they refer to as a weak Leader. I probably only got my VDV once. For those of you who dont know, a VDV is a volume discount voucher, an indication of selling 60 or more certificates in a given week. For Leaders or Account Managers, their VDVs were 65 certificates.

That happened only once; at first I was good at it, but then I just plain sucked at it. My average was probably 30-45 in a week. So as you can see, at $10 a certificate, I made just enough to get by. I was in it for the long haul.

DS-Max's products are not worth selling, but they do in mass amounts all over the country. People are suckered into buying them because of sympathy for the guy or girl at the door. I was even on a campaign for a hair salon that was out of business. To my defense, I found out only because my customers went to check it out after I sold them a certificate.

I went to the salon to see for myself and found it abandoned. How can these people sell stuff that isn't even valid? Because they can and they don't care what happens to the consumer or the distributor, as long as there is someone selling product to line their pockets with money. Their products are given to the distributor on consignment and they get a percentage off of what people sell. That's how they make money.

They NEED distributors, which is why they recruit everybody, from ex-cons to college graduates. There is no screening or background check. I know because I never once had to call a reference or drug test candidates. They tell you that they need managers but really that's how they fill your head with big dreams. It is MLM pure and simple. They claim that it isn't, but it is because the people at the top make all the money and the distributors get pennies for 60-65 hours of hard work.

I truly believed that I could make it in the Biz but I couldnt make it happen. I wasnt into cheating people out of money. I went to Portland with my leader for the wrong reasons.By then it was too late, I was 1000 miles away from home and just had to suck it in and deal with it.By August, my former Leader / Owner decided that I should be trained as his new administrator because my skills were best utilized in an office setting. I was very grateful yet sad because I truly believed at this point that all I had to do was wait for me to get better so I could get promoted. But being an administrator wasnt so bad; after all I went from a 65-hour workweek to a 40-hour week. I was employed, so I had a steady paycheck. I could also get promoted to a Hub Manager, so there was still a possibility of more money.

My owner was given the Seattle market, so our office moved to Seattle and the office rented 3 apartments together. It was cost effective, right? It was until we had to move back to Portland. Even though, we rented the apartments together, three names went on the leases. One name was mine. We signed a 6-month lease, but broke it after 3 weeks. My credit is screwed because the company still hasnt paid the penalty for the lease. My former Owner doesnt return my phone calls about this. The balance has gone to collections and because my name is on this Im responsible for it.

But I digress; while in the business I met many people, good, bad, and all types. Ive learned the art of conversation and Ive learned that many things that seem too good to be true are usually a scam. Ive seen an office open and get shut down. Ive seen owners get the boot for having a relationship with another owner. Ive seen assistant managers fired for missing a meeting in the Bahamas. Ive seen the backstabbing and the false promoting that has happened. Ive seen an owner leave her crew behind because they couldnt break their apartment lease and go back to LA (the penalty was too high). Ive also seen a regional manager get promoted into Vice Presidency. Ive been to a rally and 4 big Leaders Meetings. Ive seen the money that an owner makes and what he/she has to put back into their business. I've seen the good, bad, and the ugly, and no I don't mean the movie. I was taught to believe that this was the only company worth working with or for. I think somehow, I lost my heart and soul to this company for a year and a half. I actually believed in the company, no matter what anyone else said. Then when I didnt have any more to give, I was let go. I wasnt producing anymore, so I was let go. Administrators have to keep a 90% retention to stay employed. I had an 80 % retention. That means that I needed 9 out of 10 people booked for preliminary interviews to show up to the office but only got 8. Maybe I was sick of the calls and the lying. I was good at paperwork, but I didnt make the cut. When I left, no one really knew that I left. I just disappeared and moved out. They didn't offer any severance or anything. It's not like I had any employee benefits, they don't offer any. Now I have a new home, a new legitimate job with benefits and paid time off. I am steadily paying my bills and trying to get out of the $6000 hole that DS-Max put me in. And for those of you in DS-Max, don't even think of retaliating with a "You didn't cut it because you didn't have the work ethic or people skills" etcetera because I've heard it all already, so don't if that is all you have to say.

If I could take it all back, I wish that I had never worked for a company so full of unethical practices. I wish I had never heard of the so-called "opportunity". But such is life. I'm a better person for leaving it. Thanks for taking time to read my testimonial. It has been therapeutic to write it down.

Company: DS-Max - Granton Marketing, Cydcor, Etc
Country: USA
State: Nationwide
Address: 700 N Hayden Island Dr #150, Portland, OR 97217

  <     >