Description
Empty at the Top: Exposing Spiritual Dangers in Multilevel Marketing
One woman’s searingly honest personal story highlights the dirty secrets of multilevel marketing (MLM). Learn how relationships are misused for financial gain in this compelling account of a former industry insider and top producer.
This true story of Athena Dean Holtz’s climb to the top before discovering the high personal and spiritual cost is more than an insider exposé. Empty at the Top is a loving revelation and warning of how Christians can be sidetracked by deceptive sales and marketing practices.
Learn how the church has been defiled by:
- “money changing in the temple”
- deceitful recruiting methods
- brainwashing techniques
- and opportunistic practices and blatant greed.
Athena Dean Holtz shares her stirring, challenging, and convicting story of being consumed by success, making it to the top and finding emptiness, before discovering true success and happiness is found in God, not gold.
Anyone who has considered being involved in MLM, or who knows others who are, will find this book compelling and eye-opening. This new updated edition includes reflection questions for individual or small group study.
I have never been more moved by a book in my nearly sixteen years in Christian publishing and bookselling. Athena’s blunt and sobering honesty is especially moving. This book provided the answer I have been looking for.
—John Thurman, former president of Christian Publishers Resources
E Cowgill –
In “Empty at the at Top: Exposing Spiritual Dangers in Multilevel Marketing,” Athena Dean Holtz writes an eye-opening book on the many multilevel marketing organizations in existence today. She is open and transparent in writing about her own previous involvement and how God drew her out of the company and brought her back to him. She shares the dangers, especially spiritual dangers, to a person and their family when one or both adults are involved in the organization. But she also shares the way out of these organizations and how God can and will redeem situations of the families who leave.
If you have ever been involved in a multilevel marketing organization, if you are currently in one, or if you’re thinking about joining, this is a “must-read” book!
Delaney Brown –
The author boldly takes on a controversial topic through her very honest and raw account of her rise to the top (3 times) in MLM companies, and why she now warns anyone she can of the dangers within these organizations. It is quite an expose’ of the secret deceptive and insidious tactics used to recruit your downline. This is a must read for any Christ-follower who, like Athena has and perhaps is currently experiencing great success in MLM, as well as those who are considering the pursuit of this kind of business.
Rhonda Stoppe –
If you grew up in the church in the 1970s then you were likely at one time invited to what you thought was a social gathering – only to discover you were duped into sitting in on a “once in a lifetime” get rich quick presentation. Thank you Athena for unmasking the spiritual dangers of MultiLevel Marketing schemes that insidiously work their way into church fellowships.
Phylis Mantelli –
As someone who was a part of a MLM company for 15 years while raising my children, I saw a lot of truth in this book. I was on a mission to make more money, earn more trips, recruit more people at the expense of spending time with my children which was why I wanted to have this part-time business to begin with. At times when I rose to the high ranks and was at the conferences where they passed out awards, my upline director treated me like a special queen. The following year if I just did enough to make that extra money for my family but with no special awards coming, she completely ignored me. As I learned that my own trauma was seeking the fame and acknowledgement, I soon learned it wasn’t important to me anymore. Athena hits all areas of deception that can be had in MLM companies. While I loved the product I sold, the only way to try to get to the top, was through recruiting others. This book is a must read if you are entering into this type of business. It really signifies “money being the root of all evil”. Athena is very brave to tackle this subject, but I applaud her for her Godly truthfulness. As I watch a young single mom entering into a MLM recently, I was reading all the trigger points of how she thinks she is doing this with God’s blessings. All the while, constantly posting things on social media to bring people into the company. I pray she finds her way out.
Joy Wendling –
This author holds nothing back as she shares her story of how God brought her through MLM to a closer relationship with him. She writes, “You may not agree with my final conclusion, but I trust you’ll see my heart is to see the body of Christ hungering and thirsting for more of Jesus rather than success and the things of this world.” So good!