FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
By Kristen S.
This is my FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review. I have no affiliation with FTHM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing).
Before continuing with this review if you’re serious about adding more new associates next month than you did during all of last year, read this report, “How To Create Your First 6 Figure Month In Network Marketing”.
FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) is a self-proclaimed “relationship marketing” company (another term for “network marketing” or “MLM”) which sells a variety of products. Its products include the following types of products:
1. Wireless Phones
2. Phone Plans
3. Long Distance Calling Services
4. Satellite TV
5. Weight Management
6. Health and Beauty
7. Alarm systems
The company was started back in 2001 by veteran marketer Paul Orberson. The management team is rounded out by Tom Mills, Jeff Orberson and David Mills.
In this FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review, I will cover the good, the bad and the ugly of this company to help you decide if this is a good company to select to work with as network marketer.
The “Good”…
The first observation that I must make as part of this FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review is that this company offers a great mix of products. It isn’t hard to imagine that something in FHTM’s product line wouldn’t be appealing to everyone.
Another big “good” is the management team. It is a very solid and experienced team. In particular, the Orberson brothers have been successful businessmen for a long time. Certainly the fact that this company is still thriving after nine years in business gets some points in the “good” section of this FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review.
My FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review as it pertains to the compensation plan reveals that it appears to be a decent comp plan.
The “Bad”…
I am going to talk about only one thing in the “bad” section of this FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review: the FHTM lawsuits and legal troubles.
FHTM has had its share of legal troubles over the last couple of years. While the fact that the company has been involved in some litigation would not alone put it in this “bad” section of my FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review, there is one part of the allegations in those litigations which I think is worth mentioning in an FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review.
Now, a couple of states busted FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) for licensing and other such issues. The bigger legal issue, however, arose from allegations akin to calling FHTM a pyramid scheme.
While some people think ALL network marketing and MLM businesses are pyramid schemes, that is simply just untrue. “Pyramid schemes” — which are considered to be businesses which aim to recruit members instead of selling products/services — are illegal.
Due to allegations that FHTM’s compensation plan, while technically allowing for profits to be made from the selling products, really only provides compensation (or only provides “good” compensation) for recruiting members earning money from what they sell (this making it so that those at the bottom are not getting much out of their investment).
Since I cannot get a definitive outline of the compensation plan so that I can analyze these allegations for myself, I will solely raise the issue as a “bad” in this FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review and let you decide for yourself if you decide to consider becoming affiliated with this company.
The “Ugly”…
As is the case it seems with most of the network marketing company websites, one thing I have to put in the “ugly” section of this FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review is that the company website does not clearly articulate its compensation plan. Sure, it tells you about the “super perks” if you reach the upper stratosphere of its levels (like the Lexus you can earn). The lack of transparency about that is a red flag for me every time.
There is something else I’d like to raise in the “ugly” section of this FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review, because it is an allegation that I have seen made somewhat widely online. It is that the company uses what is known as a ‘Stair-Step-Break-Away’ method. That means that once one of your members reaches a certain level, they ‘Break-Away’ from your downline and become your immediate competition. Be sure to investigate this allegation for yourself if you are considering becoming involved with this company.
My final “ugly” item in this FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review is something I mention in any network marketing company review. That is that if you have not taken the time to become educated on how to properly market a network marketing business, that you are almost assured to fail in that network marketing business.
Regardless if you pick the very best network marketing company, with the best management team and compensation plan, if you don’t understand how to properly get leads and monetize them, you will not achieve success in these businesses. Don’t get sucked into the “all you have to do is approach your friends, family and co-workers” malarkey that is taught to so many new network marketers. Doing this will not get you massive success in a network marketing business. if this FHTM (Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing) review teaches you anything, let it be this.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
It is so unfortunate that the FHTM reps who claim Paul Orberson is a GOD just cannot see through the smog to get to the truth. He preaches so many fallacies that its hard to figure out what is real and what is BS.
Let me address some of these known facts.
1. Orberson was in Excel and is the SELF-PROCLAIMED highest paid rep in that company. There is absolutely no proof of this claim other than the BS story he himself tells.
2. Orberson did not come out of retirement to clean out the industry and create a company for reps. He did move back to Lexington and start Fortune because his first wife caught him cheating on him, divorced him and took most of his millions. His lifestyle suffered and he needed money.
3. How can one claim that he puts God first as a true Christian when he got a divorce because he couldn’t keep his thing in his pants and was spanking another woman?
4. Nobody that gets into FHTM today has the same opportunity to make the kind of money the top 6 do because those guys were paid big bucks, got special deals, ownership interest and brought their down-lines from Excel.
5. Forbes said FHTM was a fast growing company 8 years ago. What they never said is FHTM was a legal company. Forbes has never evaluated MLM’s for legitimacy.
6. Orberson has done a great job of buying articles in 2nd and 3rd rate magazines to make himself look like a guru when he is merely a crook.
7. Why has GE threatened FHTM with a trademark infringement lawsuit if they didn’t remove their coveted logo from the FHTM Office assistant and literature. According to the FHTM rhetoric GE is a partner of FHTM. WOW, how can that be? Same happened with DuPont. Was it all a big lie to make them look legitimate? Isn’t that how the story from FHTM reps goes, “All of these major fortune 100 companies wouldn’t do business with fortune or partner with us if we were illegal”? That is a crock of crap!
8. The washed up has been ex AG’s that FHTM recently hired couldn’t find their way out of a box – let alone determine if FHTM has a legal or illegal compensation plan. If the ex-Reagan assistant AG (Hammerschmidt) didn’t know they were illegal from the beginning, why have others overheard her say they are illegal and Orberson paid her in equity to shut her up?
9. Bottom line – they are ILLEGAL PYRAMID SCAM. They haven’t been shut down yet because most states dont have the money to investigate after being burdened with Bank and Mortgage fraud.
10. Two class actions in one year, multiple AG’s investigating their pyramid scheme….Not a good sign for these guys. Just my two cents from California.
It is a horrible buisness. My aunt it really high up in this business and she has completly aleinated us. She has replaced us. This business is like a cult. It sucks. If you are thinking about joining then just answer this one question…are you willing to leave your family and rreplace them and are you ready to be brainwashed