Have No Fear of the Word “Pyramid”

By Tommy UsuryFree Kennedy

I am responding to occasional emails and/or telephone calls wherein grave concerns are expressed about using the word "pyramid" in relation to the SDI industry.

Though I am personally registered as an SDI entrepreneur in a couple of SDI companies, I also freely share referrals with friends and associates who are registered as SDI entrepreneurs with other SDI companies. And I make a sincere effort to purchase products and/or services that I require for personal and family needs as well as business needs from other SDI entrepreneurs who are offering quality products and/or services different than those offered from my own SDI enterprise(s).

Additionally, I realize that within each household or family that has an active SDI enterprise, each of these family members likely have other talents, skills, products and/or services available for purchase. What is needed is a Directory of “offers” and “requests” that can be shared with all SDI entrepreneurs who enrol with our respective SDI networks.

Buying from each other supports and builds loyalty within our respective SDI networks. Since many of the corporate leaders subtley influence their teams of SDI entrepreneurs to become focused on the one SDI business opportunity, buying products and/or services from other SDI entrepreneurs should be uniformly promoted within the SDI industry.

One of the best ways to promote loyalty shopping within the SDI industry is to encourage each SDI entrepreneur to create his/her personal, usuryfree community currency to be used as a complement with federal cash when trades/exchanges are being negotiated. Readers are invited to do a search for “usuryfree community currency” and learn more about the usuryfree community currency movement.

By applying the above suggestions, it encourage consumers to change their shopping habits away from corporate monopolies to home-based businesses and local community entrepreneurs.

I have been participating in the SDI (Self Directed Income) industry (otherwise known as Multi-level marketing, Network Marketing, Referral Marketing, Relationship Marketing and/or Affiliate Marketing) since I was introduced to this unique sales and marketing industry in 1979.

I will now offer some observations on the whole scenario involving the word "pyramid," and the SDI industry and invite some further typed discussion and/or real-time debate on the issues that I will now address.

The SDI (Self Directed Income) industry of which many companies are a part happens to be a legitimate and honourable business opportunity in Canada, the USA and in many other countries. The federal government and the giant corporations whose CEO's form the "usury" elites which have been controlling society for much too long have been seeking to defame and badmouth the SDI industry for as long as I've been alive. The "usury" elites do not like the SDI industry because it permits the common citizens to earn some money and break away from the yoke of "usury" that was designed to keep us in bondage for our entire lives - for generation after generation.

It's time for we the individual SDI entrepreneurs in co-operation with the corporate SDI companies to STOP cowering and hiding in fear of the federal government or anyone else from the "usury" elites. I have always advocated telling the "truth" and let the chips fall where they may. I'll stand on "truth" any day!!!

Any concern about the word "pyramid" is unnecessary. There is no need to be concerned about telling the "truth"  -  that indeed the shape of any marketing organization in the SDI industry is that of a "pyramid."

No one from any SDI Corporate team nor any Independent SDI entrepreneur ought to be afraid of the word "pyramid" for every orthodox business and institutional structure is built with a pyramid shape. The pyramid shape common to the SDI infrastructure is different and much superior to the traditional pyramid shapes of corporations and institutions. In fact, pyramid shapes in the SDI industry are commonly reversed.

I have been active in the SDI industry since March 29th, 1979 when I signed an Amway application form. I want it to be clear that since that time I have been participating in this industry and I have found it to be the most honourable marketing industry of the 21st Century to be involved with. I am a proud professional, SDI entrepreneur in the SDI (Self Directed Income) industry just as others are proud professionals in the conventional retail industry.

My research about "pyramid structured" system of orthodox banking has been intensive indeed. When I talk about exposing "usury" as a design flaw in the banking system of debt money, I can direct readers to the research to back up my claim should anyone ever be interested. 

Also understand that when I criticize the banking industry for its taking of "usury," I am criticizing the world banking elites who know exactly that their "usurious" banking policies have a direct impact on the 40,000 babies and youth that die every day on planet earth because of "scarcity and lack." I am not critical of the employees at the fringe of the banking pyramid as they are common people earning a monthly pay cheque to pay their usury and taxes and hopefully have enough money left to enjoy life.

This is a whole other area of research and I do not wish to go there right now. But do keep in mind that these are the same "usury" elites at the top of the heirarchy (banking pyramid) who with the support of ill-informed politicians, initiate the laws about sales "pyramids" in the direct marketing industry - to create fear within the minds of the common people. Self-motivated researchers are invited to bookmark the UsuryFree Eye Opener and return there frequently to review the articles and learn what formal education neglects to teach.



 Let me clarify the "pyramid structure" of the banking system as I understand it to be. You have the CEO at the top who earns multiple millions. Then you have the Regional Directors, (please correct me if my titles are incorrect) and Regional Managers, Branch Managers and clerks and finally customers.  As you come down the pyramid people earn less money and as you go up the pyramid there is diminishing job opportunity.

I experienced a similar "pyramid structure" in the educational system for 34 years. There is the director (who is paid a pile of money), then superintendents, then consultants, then principals, vice-principals, teachers and finally students and parents - the local property owners whose taxes are levied to pay the teachers’ salaries.

 Likewise, in the traditional educational pyramid people earn less money as you come down the pyramid and there is diminishing job opportunity as you climb the pyramid. I never witnessed a Director of Education reach out to help a teacher and I daresay that you have never seen the CEO of any Commercial Bank reach out to help a clerk. BUT in the SDI industry you will witness people with experience reaching out to help the new enrollees.

One more observation about climbing the educational pyramid. I observed plenty of jealously, and back-stabbing and fear among those who were scrambling to climb the pyramid. I got to watch it all for 34 years as I never had any inclination to climb the educational pyramid.

My research about the SDI industry proves my claim that it is a "worthy pyramid selling venture." I proudly admit that the SDI industry is based on a pyramid structure. In the pyramid structure of the SDI industry "the uniting of efforts multiplies the benefits."

Let me explain further:

Traditionally, CEO's, Department Heads, Sales Managers, Directors of Education etc. who are positioned at or near the top of their respective pyramids in the retail industry and/or in traditional institutions earn their profits from the work of dedicated and loyal people who are positioned at various levels below them. Since these people are strategically positioned at or near the top of a particular pyramid with diminishing opportunity they are unlikely to reach out and help those at the lower levels whose dedication and hard work is directly related to their receiving high salaries. In fact, people often reach their level of incompetence and then defend their right to be there.



Within the relatively new SDI industry, each new recruit is positioned at the top of their own respective pyramid and each person must reach out and help their new enrolees make sales (retail and/or wholesale) before they earn their commissions and expand their pyramidal structure. The action of reaching out to help others demands that one first nourish personal growth from within.

The uniqueness of the SDI industry is the manner in which the "uniting of efforts multiplies the benefits." Unlike traditional pyramidal structures, where there is little or no opportunity for others to move up the pyramid, the SDI industry permits every new recruit the same opportunity to become Manager of his/her own pyramid-shaped structure. While doing so s/he acquires leadership skills by learning how to "unite the efforts of others and thereby multiplying the benefits for all."



In the SDI industry, a motivated new enrolee can often earn more income that the person who sponsored him/her. No traditional "pyramid structure" permits a new person at the fringe to earn more money that the person at the top of the pyramid. After experiencing the SDI industry for 32 years I can honestly say that those operating within traditional "pyramid structures" could learn a few good strategies from leaders in the SDI industry.

During the month of July 2001, myself and Neil Anderson  - a re-directed government employee from Ottawa who had 30 years (part-time) experience in the SDI industry  - worked on a report about the SDI industry so that we could present some information to teach people the truth about this fastest growing sector of local and global marketing.

We finished our report on July 30th and I released it at the conference where I was a guest speaker in Salmon Arm, BC. on August 5th, 2001. The paper is entitled: "Analysis, Projections, Observations and Proposals For The SDI Industry." 

In the meantime, I am witnessing many SDI companies moving along and growing very well. Some SDI entrepreneurs voluntarily "gift" me with "usuryfree" community currency for my referrals.

It is interesting to note that the SDI industry invites our up and coming youth generation to work with worthy SDI companies, instead of spending their money with the giant, trans-national, retail corporations.

SDI entrepreneurs earn perfectly legitimate bonuses and commissions within a reasonable marketing structure to fund their education (or otherwise) by simply sharing information about competitive and quality products and/or services. I have been encouraging the youth (and otherwise) to spend their money differently by shopping within the SDI industry.

I do plenty to promote the SDI industry and yet I get a telephone calls and/or emails from SDI corporate leaders and SDI entrepreneurs expressing grave concern about the word "pyramid" as applied to the SDI industry. I have even been threatened with “termination” of an SDI distributorship if I do not comply with their restrictive rules that actually go against the definition of true "free enterprise." How ironic!!

I have often elected to forward my referrals to friends and associates who are active SDI entrepreneurs. During the past 32 years I have witnessed too many friends and associates be ruthlessly terminated by company "A" because they choose to add company "B" to their SDI Portfolio. I openly advocate building an SDI Portfolio to guarantee monthly earnings from more than one source.

Likewise, I encourage people to change their shopping habits and explain that by so doing, they are supporting home-based businesses. Indeed, more and more consumers are ready and willing to change their shopping habits and buy more and more products from home-based businesses and by so doing, the SDI industry expands.

Other relevant articles:

The First Historical Example Of A Pyramid Scheme …

How to Distinguish Between a Pyramid Scheme and Multi Level Marketing

Network Marketing or Pyramid Scheme?

Pyramid, Ponzi, and Investment Schemes - Is One Hiding Behind Your MLM Program?

The Typical Corporate Pyramid

The scary "pyramid of control" AND too few people are even aware of its existence.

Yet another graphic of the "pyramid of control" 
showing that not much has changed from 'then until now.'

AND read this article about the failings of the "Pyramid of Capitalist System" titled:"Dis-Accumulation on a World Scale: Pillage, Plunder and Wealth"