Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Does Fred Cooper Have the Ability To Grow Ariix? Or Will it Fail?

Over 95% of all MLM start ups fail within the first couple of years.  A big factor for success is the company leadership and management.

Fred Cooper is the founder and lead guy for Ariix.  Now, does Fred have the ability to successfully launch the company and grow it?

Fred started working with USANA Health Sciences as a consultant in 1997.  He soon became a full time employee of USANA.  He worked his way into executive management before becoming President and Chief Operating Officer of USANA.

Before working with USANA he worked for Aetna.  He also has a Ph.D. in Business Administration for the University of Utah.

Fred abruptly resigned from USANA on May 9, 2011 to start Ariix.

Here are some interesting facts:

On January 12, 2011 iCentris, a corporation owned by Fred Cooper, purchased the domain www.Ariix.com.

On February 12, 2011 the company name Ariix was registered in Utah by Celebrus LLC.

Ariix has the same address as Fred's other company, iCentris.

The facts point pretty clearly that while he was working at USANA he was also working on launching Ariix.  Domains and businesses were started months before he resigned from USANA.

I'm a capitalist and have no problem with people working on businesses and such.  But there are ways you do it ethically and with integrity.

Once you look below the surface, it's a little disturbing.

While President and COO of USANA he was directly working behind USANA's back on a copy cat MLM that would be a direct competitor.  During those months he was also working with USANA corporate officers and speaking to the distributors about USANA.  Specifically, how great USANA is, what an amazing product it has and one of the best business models out there.

How can you say one thing while working on something that directly goes against it?

Does the word lying pop into your mind too?

Here's my thought:  How can you be working in one of the top positions of a company while working on a copycat business?

You can't.  It's like being married or in a serious relationship and telling the person that you love him or her, while seeing someone else behind their back and cheating.

Fred can say all sorts of things about how he's an entrepreneur and wants to pursue other businesses or he believes in Ariix way more and so on. Fine, I don't blame him for it.  But do it with integrity.

The bottom line is that his integrity is in question now.

If he resigned months ago while he was planning Ariix (and he obviously was if you look at the records above) that would be respectful.  But he didn't.

In all my years of working and being in business, I've learned to look at people's actions.  Actions speak volumes.  Actions speak the truth.

In my mind, Fred's actions say he's a distrustful person.  His priority is chasing money and increasing his own financial position.

Will the way he runs Ariix be different?  Possibly since he's the founder and presumably has equity in it.  Still, the facts point to a selfish person who puts himself first.

If he worked USANA like that, what will he do to Ariix Distributors?  Ariix is already a startup MLM with a low chance of success.  Do you want to partner with someone who has a track record of working behind people's backs?

The writing is on the wall with his actions.  If you're looking at Ariix, be warned.

Prediction:  Fred obviously has some great abilities.  But, based on Fred Cooper's actions, Ariix will be part of that 95% of failed businesses.

If a person does something shady in one area of their life, you can bet there are others.   What other questionable actions will come out about Fred?

12 comments:

  1. No one would be as bitter as you are unless they were personally effected by what happened; Frankly, because no one really cares that much.

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  2. Ryan, you're perceptive and correct. I just don't like it when people say one thing, but their actions say something else. It's my Christian duty to point those out.

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  3. Please elaborate on what you mean when you say your "Christian duty."

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  4. "Faith, hope and charity; but the greatest of these is charity." (I Corinthians 13:1). Part of my charity to fellow man is letting him know the facts about people they may do business with. My commentary aside in the post, the facts are accurate and hope people keep that in mind when looking at Ariix.

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  5. I could really care less if you have an issue with the guy, and it sounds like you have valid concerns, but dragging the Bible into why you're slinging mud on the internet is absolutely ridiculous.

    You're not being charitable, you're being petty, because if you were truly handling this in a Christlike fashion, you would follow the counsel given in Matthew 18:15, where it says, "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."

    That's not judgment, that's discernment. If your that close to the situation, maybe you should give Fred a call.

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  6. @Jamie - You bring up a valid point. However, there is a higher calling here. When people in positions of power do unethical actions, you have to let the world know. If I know these facts and don't say anything and then innocent people get hurt in the future; then I've let my brothers down.

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  7. Ryan, I'm a reformed Usana customer. I never sold Usana, but I took the product off and on for a decade. At the end of that decade I was in very bad shape healthwise. I learned that the mineral form used in Usana products actually causes more harm than good and it also compromises the amount of vitamins being absorbed.

    Someone just gave me an Ariix business card last week. I tried to go to the Ariix website, but I guess it is not up and running yet. I'm glad I stumbled upon your blog about Ariix. Thanks.

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  8. @Eric - Good to know that this website helped you! Definitely steer clear and stay away from Ariix.

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  9. We would like to personally thank you for taking the initiative to exposure the unethical activities exhibited by Ariix, et al. We share your concerns about what the future may hold regarding activities by Ariix and its management.

    It is amazing to us that, people who we respected during their time at USANA, have now been shown to be so different, so unethical in their activities which are appalling and disgusting.

    Our question would be, why would anyone become associated with these self-serving jerks? Why would anyone think that Ariix management’s primary interest would be on their new business partners, when their tactics so far have been to copy-cat USANA? We would encourage anyone interested in joining Ariix to think about joining USANA instead of the copy cat, founded by people of proven low integrity and character.

    The bottom line is: Ariix management just wants to cause embarrassment and harm to USANA, while trying to enrich themselves at the expense of unsuspecting people they may somehow enroll. There is nothing offered by Ariix that will exceed what USANA already has in place. That is a given.

    Ariix is destined to fail. It lacks character, honesty, integrity and a true business plan that hasn’t been copied from USANA.

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  10. Ask an Arrix guy or gal what scientist is behind them. I can't find any, just a lot of hype in their literature...... any one know?

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  11. John, Thank you for your integrity in posting this information! I have been with Usana for almost 5 years now and was absolutely floored when I heard this news. Usana is a company of integrity! Is it for everyone, no! But it has helped my family tremendously and I am grateful for that! It saddened me to hear of the circumstances in which Fred left, but to each his own. We are all accountable for our own actions and will one day answer for them!
    Thanks again,
    Randy

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  12. Deanna Latson is the "science" behind Ariix. we had never heard of her so we looked into it. Turns out she may have just pulled an ARIIX on someone else, so these people seem to be getting flees from lying down together. Does ARIIX even have an office yet? We cannot find a physical address or even a web site.

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