YTB 101
When I first introduced everyone to John Frenaye back in October, I mentioned that I cut my teeth debating real honest to goodness Anti-MLM Zealots. If you’ve ever spent any time at all with the fine folks on Scam.com it makes some of our Travel Agents look like Saints. (Okay, Saints might be pushing it as you will soon find out, but you get the idea.) There are a couple of key features about Anti-MLM Zealots that I’ve learned over the years, which I need to clarify for everyone before we begin.
They selectively use evidence that supports their case and throw away (or ignore) anything else that doesn’t. They work by categorizing, separating, hiding, judging and condemning, attacking and rejecting. When they’re in trouble like they were with me, they try to distract everyone from all the good news, all the company and personal success of folks like me. They blow the whole situation out of proportion. By making a lot of noise, they think everyone will miss what is really going on.
I was first introduced to John back in August, after being sent an article he wrote about Travel MLM’s. Knowing nothing about John, I simply labeled him another one of the Zealots and wrote him off as “clueless”. I was then re-introduced to John here on my blog when he made the mistake of posting a few comments on my blog. I’m sure by now; most of you realize that I can certainly handle my own with anyone who attempts to promote myths and misconceptions about YTB. However, unlike most, I can also recognize, acknowledge, and admit YTB’s shortcomings, (few as they are) and to John’s credit, he has also recognized some of the benefits of YTB.
I also have the benefit of experience with YTB. My last post regarded my 3 year Anniversary with YTB. I’ve seen, heard, and experienced far more than most in this company. When I joined the company in January of 2005, YTB was just over 8,000 active RTA’s. Because of this history, I happen to know a considerable amount about the company, and I would imagine that certain points I’m about to make concerning our company may not even be known to those in YTB. For this reason, I think I might have a unique perspective as to why John has been so frustrated in not being able to find some of his answer to questions he HAS posted on his blog several times.
I’m also going to call a spade a spade concerning some of the questions John claims he does not have the answers to just yet, and that’s the tricky part even for me about all this. I really like John, he’s extremely intelligent, and we have become good friends, he can still play a very clever devils advocate simply to promote his positioning that Travel and MLM’s don’t mix. To be completely fair and honest however, he does this because of his positioning and underlying belief that the two subjects “Travel” and “MLM” do not mix.
Travel for him and other traditionalist take a high level of expertise and service in order to work in the industry. As a promoter on the other side of the fence I do it too. I point to the $40 Billion in Travel that was booked by average consumers making many reservations right over the internet without any formal training what so ever. His job is to promote all that is bad about the YTB model (this includes ALL travel MLM’s), and my job is to promote all that is good.
To our credit, we have both been willing to recognize and admire what each brings to the table in this debate as individuals. I firmly believe that our friendship has enabled us to focus on the real issues concerning what’s happening in our industry, rather than on the person.
I wanted to set the stage before I got into these questions. You will notice that neither one of us resort to name calling, or belittling each other. He knows that I respect his position and ideals, as he respects mine. That does not mean that we agree with the perspective or position however, and there is a difference. We both have very strong convictions in what we believe, and each of us bring a considerable amount of personal history and experience in our fields to form these beliefs. We are grown men and can handle the criticism. If we didn’t feel we could, we certainly wouldn’t leave this type of debate and conversation as open for everyone to view as we do.
John has a very long list of questions which I have taken to task to answer. From the looks of it, I’ve got my work cut out for me.
Oh, Yee of little faith…that’s what documentation is for! I’ll also be pointing out when these questions have been answered (and backed with documentation) here just to give you a little taste of how all this works. It’s a neat little trick the other side uses to keep doubt and discontent at the forefront. Trust me, it’s been going on for years, and while I don’t expect anyone to read through 2 ½ years of posts (July of 2005) in a single thread rehashing the same topic over and over without any resolution after 62 pages and 2460 comments. (Well, not entirely accurate. Some do get it and make that 2461.)
I have been able to show a very few what’s what. We do have one Zealot however who was shown the door, but then simply created another screen name and to start posting the same questions again just to save face. What’s so incredibly strange and sad at the same time for this individual is that he has not one lick of experience in either the Travel Industry or Network Marketing, and the subject of YTB controls his life that he is posting on average close to 4 times a day simply to trash our company.
While the thread on Scam.com has gotten boring and old for me, I do find debating the issues fun and while John certainly has a number of traits similar to Anti-MLM Zealots at least he’s intelligent and respectful. (Just like I’m a YTB Yahoo who drinks Kool-aid that’s intelligent and respectful.)
My My My…look at how far we’ve come.
Stay tuned…this should be fun!
Subscribe to Just Picture It Now for additional announcements and details!
They selectively use evidence that supports their case and throw away (or ignore) anything else that doesn’t. They work by categorizing, separating, hiding, judging and condemning, attacking and rejecting. When they’re in trouble like they were with me, they try to distract everyone from all the good news, all the company and personal success of folks like me. They blow the whole situation out of proportion. By making a lot of noise, they think everyone will miss what is really going on.I was first introduced to John back in August, after being sent an article he wrote about Travel MLM’s. Knowing nothing about John, I simply labeled him another one of the Zealots and wrote him off as “clueless”. I was then re-introduced to John here on my blog when he made the mistake of posting a few comments on my blog. I’m sure by now; most of you realize that I can certainly handle my own with anyone who attempts to promote myths and misconceptions about YTB. However, unlike most, I can also recognize, acknowledge, and admit YTB’s shortcomings, (few as they are) and to John’s credit, he has also recognized some of the benefits of YTB.
I also have the benefit of experience with YTB. My last post regarded my 3 year Anniversary with YTB. I’ve seen, heard, and experienced far more than most in this company. When I joined the company in January of 2005, YTB was just over 8,000 active RTA’s. Because of this history, I happen to know a considerable amount about the company, and I would imagine that certain points I’m about to make concerning our company may not even be known to those in YTB. For this reason, I think I might have a unique perspective as to why John has been so frustrated in not being able to find some of his answer to questions he HAS posted on his blog several times.
I’m also going to call a spade a spade concerning some of the questions John claims he does not have the answers to just yet, and that’s the tricky part even for me about all this. I really like John, he’s extremely intelligent, and we have become good friends, he can still play a very clever devils advocate simply to promote his positioning that Travel and MLM’s don’t mix. To be completely fair and honest however, he does this because of his positioning and underlying belief that the two subjects “Travel” and “MLM” do not mix.
Travel for him and other traditionalist take a high level of expertise and service in order to work in the industry. As a promoter on the other side of the fence I do it too. I point to the $40 Billion in Travel that was booked by average consumers making many reservations right over the internet without any formal training what so ever. His job is to promote all that is bad about the YTB model (this includes ALL travel MLM’s), and my job is to promote all that is good.
To our credit, we have both been willing to recognize and admire what each brings to the table in this debate as individuals. I firmly believe that our friendship has enabled us to focus on the real issues concerning what’s happening in our industry, rather than on the person.
I wanted to set the stage before I got into these questions. You will notice that neither one of us resort to name calling, or belittling each other. He knows that I respect his position and ideals, as he respects mine. That does not mean that we agree with the perspective or position however, and there is a difference. We both have very strong convictions in what we believe, and each of us bring a considerable amount of personal history and experience in our fields to form these beliefs. We are grown men and can handle the criticism. If we didn’t feel we could, we certainly wouldn’t leave this type of debate and conversation as open for everyone to view as we do.
John has a very long list of questions which I have taken to task to answer. From the looks of it, I’ve got my work cut out for me.
Oh, Yee of little faith…that’s what documentation is for! I’ll also be pointing out when these questions have been answered (and backed with documentation) here just to give you a little taste of how all this works. It’s a neat little trick the other side uses to keep doubt and discontent at the forefront. Trust me, it’s been going on for years, and while I don’t expect anyone to read through 2 ½ years of posts (July of 2005) in a single thread rehashing the same topic over and over without any resolution after 62 pages and 2460 comments. (Well, not entirely accurate. Some do get it and make that 2461.)
I have been able to show a very few what’s what. We do have one Zealot however who was shown the door, but then simply created another screen name and to start posting the same questions again just to save face. What’s so incredibly strange and sad at the same time for this individual is that he has not one lick of experience in either the Travel Industry or Network Marketing, and the subject of YTB controls his life that he is posting on average close to 4 times a day simply to trash our company.
While the thread on Scam.com has gotten boring and old for me, I do find debating the issues fun and while John certainly has a number of traits similar to Anti-MLM Zealots at least he’s intelligent and respectful. (Just like I’m a YTB Yahoo who drinks Kool-aid that’s intelligent and respectful.)
My My My…look at how far we’ve come.
Stay tuned…this should be fun!
Subscribe to Just Picture It Now for additional announcements and details!
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Learn How To Become A Travel Agent
Book Your Travel & Vacations With
Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635
Labels: John Frenaye, Scam, Travel MLM, YTB Travel Network
So what do I have to do to get the gold star?
:wink: :wink:
Posted by
Anonymous |
Friday, January 18, 2008
LOL! You’ve earned one or two gold stars with me already Ann, you know that.
I’m working on a very special project for you that is just about ready. I’m hoping you’ll like it.
I’ve got to work on John’s “little” project first.
Gold star…I’m glad you saw that.
Posted by
TravelPro |
Friday, January 18, 2008