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DISCLAIMER: We are not here to defame anyone, all names of individuals we discuss have been changed, we're speaking on personal opinions based on personal experiences. All content is being used for Fair Use and Commentary purposes. All things said are alleged. Follow Roberta Blevins: https://www.instagram.com/therealrobertablevins/ https://open.spotify.com/show/1KQP3qxNBjyUfgJhNCcs8f?si=2e155d970df542c2 Follow Me: Email: dani@exesandteapodcast.com Instagram: @steaptalkpodcast Tiktok: @steaptalkpodcast Youtube: The Steap Talk Podcast

DISCLAIMER: We are not here to defame anyone, all names of individuals we discuss have been changed, we're speaking on personal opinions based on personal experiences. All content is being used for Fair Use and Commentary purposes. All things said are alleged. Follow Roberta Blevins: https://www.instagram.com/therealrobertablevins/ https://open.spotify.com/show/1KQP3qxNBjyUfgJhNCcs8f?si=2e155d970df542c2 Follow Me: Email: dani@exesandteapodcast.com Instagram: @steaptalkpodcast Tiktok: @steaptalkpodcast Youtube: The Steap Talk Podcast

How did a Mormon couple turn buttery-soft leggings into a billion-dollar MLM empire? Hannah and Jess talk LuLaRoe, the multilevel marketing company founded by DeAnne and Mark Stidham. We get into the Mormon family behind the company, DeAnne's upbringing in a household devoted to traditional femininity, her mother's anti-feminist activism, and the marriage advice that encouraged women to behave like helpless children. SHOW NOTES, including all sources mentioned in this episode, are available on Patreon with a FREE membership: https://www.patreon.com/postmormonpostmortem FREE members also get our monthly newsletter. Paid memberships start at $2/month for AD-FREE listening. TO SUPPORT THE SHOW (Thank you!) Venmo: https://venmo.com/postmormonpostmortem Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/postmormonpostmortem Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/postmormonpostmortem FIND US HERE Website: https://postmormonpostmortem.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@postmormonpostmortem TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@postmormonpostmortem Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postmormonpostmortem Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/postmormonpostmortem Theme song | Vocals: Hannah W. | Guitar: Dr. Dave | Audio: Mick #Mormon #ExMormon #LDSChurch #LuLaRoe #MLM #antimlm

How did a Mormon couple turn buttery-soft leggings into a billion-dollar MLM empire? Hannah and Jess talk LuLaRoe, the multilevel marketing company founded by DeAnne and Mark Stidham. We get into the Mormon family behind the company, DeAnne's upbringing in a household devoted to traditional femininity, her mother's anti-feminist activism, and the marriage advice that encouraged women to behave like helpless children. SHOW NOTES, including all sources mentioned in this episode, are available on Patreon with a FREE membership: https://www.patreon.com/postmormonpostmortem FREE members also get our monthly newsletter. Paid memberships start at $2/month for AD-FREE listening. TO SUPPORT THE SHOW (Thank you!) Venmo: https://venmo.com/postmormonpostmortem Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/postmormonpostmortem Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/postmormonpostmortem FIND US HERE Website: https://postmormonpostmortem.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@postmormonpostmortem TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@postmormonpostmortem Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postmormonpostmortem Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/postmormonpostmortem Theme song | Vocals: Hannah W. | Guitar: Dr. Dave | Audio: Mick #Mormon #ExMormon #LDSChurch #LuLaRoe #MLM #antimlm

This week on Healed-ish, I'm joined by Brandie, who spent 10 years in an on-and-off relationship with Juice Plus, a multi-level marketing company (MLM), spending over $100,000 along the way. We discuss the cult-like dynamics of MLMs, from the promise of community and financial freedom to expensive conferences, false promises, and the pressure to keep going. Brandie shares how the sunk cost fallacy kept her holding on to the belief that if she just worked hard enough and did everything right, it would eventually pay off. - Brandie’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/brandiehadfield/ Brandie’s Website: https://www.brandiehadfield.com - Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/c/TheOvershareHour Follow for more: Jubilee’s TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@jubileedawns⁠ Jubilee’s IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jubileedawns⁠ Healed-ish TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@healedishpodcast⁠ Healed-ish IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/healedishpodcast⁠ Apply To Share Your Story: ⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/23f8SPBX1VntsqUU8⁠

How do cults, brainwashing, and deceptive marketing manipulate the way we think, shop, and behave online? In this episode of Cults, Culture, & Coercion, Dr. Steven Hassan interviews marketing expert Dr. Mara Einstein about cult-like marketing tactics, social media manipulation, consumerism, propaganda, multi-level marketing (MLMs), and how brands and influencers exploit anxiety and vulnerability to influence your behavior to make you buy, buy, buy. Dr. Mara Einstein is a professor at Queens College, a former television and advertising executive, and an internationally recognized expert on deceptive marketing. She is the author of Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults and appeared in the Netflix documentary Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy. Drawing on her experience in advertising Einstein explains how corporations, social media platforms, influencers, and commercial organizations use techniques that mirror cult recruitment and psychological manipulation. In this conversation, Dr. Hassan and Dr. Einstein examine: - How deceptive marketing uses cult recruitment tactics, including targeting vulnerable people, love bombing, and upselling - Why Einstein argues that we live in an “anxiety economy,” where social media fuels anxiety to keep people scrolling and buying - How advertising, propaganda, and behavioral psychology exploit insecurity to create demand for products - The connection between brand loyalty, brand communities, and cult-like group dynamics - How social media algorithms, rage bait, infinite scrolling, and digital silos affect critical thinking - How the marketing funnel mirrors cult recruitment, from awareness and consideration to conversion and loyalty - Advertising campaign, church marketing, and the role of data-driven outreach in religious recruitment - How brand cults, influencers, conspiracy theorists, and multi-level marketing companies fit into Einstein’s cult marketing continuum - What NXIVM, LuLaRoe, and other multi-level marketing examples reveal about recruitment, pyramid structures, and financial exploitation - How to recognize unethical influence, rebuild critical thinking, and help loved ones who have become involved in high-control groups - Why compassion, active listening, and nonjudgmental support matter when helping people leave cults or exploitative organizations Dr. Hassan also draws on his own experience in a high-control cult. Together, he and Einstein explore the similarities between commercial persuasion and coercive influence, the importance of media literacy, and how people can recognize manipulation without surrendering their ability to think independently. The conversation also examines political propaganda, Christian nationalism, the relationship between marketing and religious recruitment, misinformation, and efforts to undermine trust in democratic institutions. From consumer brands and influencers to political movements and radicalization, this episode explores how effective market…

DISCLAIMER: We are not here to defame anyone, all names of individuals we discuss have been changed, we're speaking on personal opinions based on personal experiences. All content is being used for Fair Use and Commentary purposes. All things said are alleged. Follow Me: Email: dani@exesandteapodcast.com Instagram: @steaptalkpodcast Tiktok: @steaptalkpodcast Youtube: The Steap Talk Podcast

John and Frannie discuss concerns about deliverance ministry practices that can create a cycle of fear, shame, and dependency for people already dealing with trauma. They compare the dynamic to generating a problem in order to provide the solution, examining claims about demons, repeated deliverance sessions, spiritual experiences, and the pressure to seek specialized ministers for relief. They also explore how religious trauma can become intertwined with shaking, nightmares, fear, shame, and questions about spiritual experiences. The conversation turns to childhood experiences with repeated deliverance practices, beliefs about witches and spiritual attacks, the difficulty of questioning authority, and how similar patterns can leave people searching for another way forward. CHAPTERS 00:00 Trauma and the Deliverance Cycle 01:41 Creating a Problem to Provide the Answer 02:46 Seeking Healing and Receiving More Trauma 03:28 Prayer, Deliverance, and Spiritual Authority 04:07 Growing Up Around Deliverance Ministries 05:03 Shame When Deliverance Doesn't Work 06:05 Witches, Spiritual Attacks, and Fear 06:44 Repeating Deliverance Packets 07:47 From IHOP KC to Amway ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

Resources used in video: Sipology terminates MLM opportunity, commissions not paid https://behindmlm.com/companies/sipology-terminates-mlm-opp-commissions-not-paid/ Dragon’s Den: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV_AqVsorxQ&t=1s Sipology website: https://www.sipology.ca/pages/about-us

Is cryptocurrency a financial revolution or a massive pyramid scheme built on fraud, manipulation, cult psychology, and political influence? And why do so many people fall for it? In this episode of Cults, Culture, and Coercion, Dr. Steven Hassan talks with actor, writer, director, and author Ben McKenzie about Bitcoin, crypto, Trump’s cryptocurrency empire, corruption, propaganda, rug pulls, and the psychology behind financial scams. Ben McKenzie is the author of Easy Money and the writer, director, and producer of the documentary Everyone Is Lying to You for Money, which investigates cryptocurrency, fraud, and the people who profit from the crypto industry. In this conversation, McKenzie explains what drew him to investigate cryptocurrency and why he believes crypto has become ubiquitous with political power under the Trump administration. Dr. Hassan and Ben McKenzie examine: - Why McKenzie compares aspects of cryptocurrency to scams, MLM schemes, and pyramid schemes - How crypto can exploit herd mentality, influencer dynamics, social pressure, and financial desperation - Why McKenzie argues that cryptocurrency shifts economic power from the public sphere toward corporations and private interests - Donald Trump’s embrace of cryptocurrency and the enormous profits connected to his crypto ventures - How cryptocurrency can facilitate political corruption, criminal activity, fraud, and anonymous financial scheming - The relationship between crypto, political donations, lobbying, and influence over elected officials - The Clarity Act and the fight over cryptocurrency regulation, investor protections, and transparency - How cryptocurrency became a beacon on Wall Street despite originally being promoted as an alternative to traditional financial institutions - How social media influencers, bot farms, online advertising, and fake testimonials are part of the crypto recruitment scheme - Why crypto marketing can particularly appeal to isolated or disconnected men through promises of wealth, independence, and freedom from government - The importance of rebuilding trust in traditional institutions, maintaining democracy, and connecting with people outside of our personal ideological bubbles - Why shaming people who have been drawn into Trump, MAGA, or other belief systems can push them deeper into those communities McKenzie also discusses his investigation into major crypto figures including Sam Bankman-Fried and Alex Mashinsky, both of whom he interviewed before their companies collapsed and they were arrested. He explains how his groundbreaking new documentary follows his journey down the cryptocurrency rabbit hole while examining the terrifying consequences of cryptocurrency on our political and economic landscape. We also explore why independent journalism and independent films can struggle to reach audiences in an increasingly consolidated media environment and why supporting independent creators can be an important way to challenge information c…

Before he was a bestselling author and late-night TV fixture, Kevin Trudeau was hustling his way through multilevel marketing schemes. He worked his way onto infomercials, then into bookstores, building a fortune by peddling easy, feel-good answers to some of life’s hardest problems – your health, your weight, your money. He cast himself as a fearless whistleblower, the one guy brave enough to expose what doctors, banks, and the government didn’t want you to know. But the bigger his claims got and the fatter his bank account grew, the more the law came knocking – fines, lawsuits, indictments, even prison. And every single time, like a weed, Kevin Trudeau kept coming back for more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Relationships in high-demand environments often collapse when someone leaves. About Me: I'm Daniella Mestyanek Young, author, scholar of cults, extreme groups, and extremely bad leadership. These days, I'm also known as Knitting Cult Lady. I grew up in the Children of God cult (also known as the Family International, or COG-TFI), and served 2 tours of duty in the cult of the US army. I noticed that those two organizations had a lot in common and have been studying them and what we can learn about other cults-- and how to protect ourselves from coercive control and abusive situations. Those books are called, "Uncultured" (my memoir) and "The Culting of America" (my bad-guy tactics book). For those of you who have been through the cult experience (any kind of cult experience including 1:1 cults, or single family cults, or internet cults, or 12 step cults) I made a "Deconstruction Workbook" as a companion guide to help you find your way out of the rabbit hole. Support my Work and Learn About Me: Linktree with all my links and Upcoming Events:https: //linktr.ee/Daniellamyoung Buy the Culting of America: https://bit.ly/4reK0u7 Buy Uncultured: https://bit.ly/42TKNWN UnAmerican VideoBook (A Work In Progress): https://tr.ee/V_vytb1pcO Patreon: https://bit.ly/YTPLanding Cult book Clubs (Advanced AND Memoirs) Annual Membership: https://bit.ly/YTPLanding Knitting Cult Patterns: https://bit.ly/4alDbQe Get my book, Uncultured, from Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/4g1Ufw8 Instagram: https://bit.ly/4ePAOFK / daniellamyoung_ Unamerican video book (on Patreon): https://bit.ly/YTVideoBook Secret Practice video book (on Patreon): https://bit.ly/3ZswGY8

From abusive MLM’s and wellness programs to doomsday sects and UFO religions, we’re all fascinated by cults. Their mystery offers us a way to explore the darkest recesses of human behaviour, while remaining seemingly out of their reach. But how do we actually define a cult?  Watch on Netflix: HERE In this episode, we look at popular examples of cults, understand how they’re organised and recruit followers, and examine what makes some people so vulnerable to joining. We unpack:  • How a cult is defined, featuring the BITE model of authoritarian control• What makes cult leaders so distinctive - and dangerous • The (often surprising) tactics cults will employ to get people to join • How people behave during and in the aftermath of leaving a cult• Why there are cults all around us today, and people are still drawn to them Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com  The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John and Frannie discuss why leaving a high-control religious environment does not automatically undo the patterns learned inside it. Frannie describes how revival culture, prophetic words, spiritual urgency, external validation, and intense expectations can shape identity and later reappear in workplaces, relationships, leadership dynamics, and the search for purpose. They explore manipulation, hypervigilance, emotional regulation, workplace authority, love bombing, gaslighting, urgency, and the difficulty of distinguishing familiar patterns from healthy relationships. Frannie reflects on experiences with IHOPKC, Amway, and a difficult workplace environment, while emphasizing the importance of identifying patterns, unlearning unhealthy responses, reevaluating old beliefs, and recognizing that moving on and healing are two different processes. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 02:31 How High-Control Religion Conditions You 08:38 Identity Formation After a Personality Cult 16:16 Manipulation, Leadership, and Workplace Boundaries 22:05 Franny’s Toxic Workplace Experience 28:32 Christianity, Manipulation, and the Workplace 35:44 Urgency, Entitlement, and Recognizing Old Patterns 42:44 Emotional Regulation, Faith, and Learning to Heal 50:09 Parenting, Hypervigilance, and Unlearning 54:07 Moving On Isn’t the Same as Healing ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

Let's talk about MLMs also known as commercial cults! About Me: I'm Daniella Mestyanek Young, author, scholar of cults, extreme groups, and extremely bad leadership. These days, I'm also known as Knitting Cult Lady. I grew up in the Children of God cult (also known as the Family International, or COG-TFI), and served 2 tours of duty in the cult of the US army. I noticed that those two organizations had a lot in common and have been studying them and what we can learn about other cults-- and how to protect ourselves from coercive control and abusive situations. Those books are called, "Uncultured" (my memoir) and "The Culting of America" (my bad-guy tactics book). For those of you who have been through the cult experience (any kind of cult experience including 1:1 cults, or single family cults, or internet cults, or 12 step cults) I made a "Deconstruction Workbook" as a companion guide to help you find your way out of the rabbit hole. Support my Work and Learn About Me: Linktree with all my links and Upcoming Events:https: //linktr.ee/Daniellamyoung Buy the Culting of America: https://bit.ly/4reK0u7 Buy Uncultured: https://bit.ly/42TKNWN UnAmerican VideoBook (A Work In Progress): https://tr.ee/V_vytb1pcO Patreon: https://bit.ly/YTPLanding Cult book Clubs (Advanced AND Memoirs) Annual Membership: https://bit.ly/YTPLanding Knitting Cult Patterns: https://bit.ly/4alDbQe Get my book, Uncultured, from Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/4g1Ufw8 Instagram: https://bit.ly/4ePAOFK / daniellamyoung_ Unamerican video book (on Patreon): https://bit.ly/YTVideoBook Secret Practice video book (on Patreon): https://bit.ly/3ZswGY8

Doug's blog post: https://pyramidscheme.law/2026/09/16/mlm-con-artists-steve-and-gina-merritt-want-to-pass-a-law-that-would-protect-all-mlm-con-artists/ FTC info about the Koscot decision: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/business-guidance-concerning-multi-level-marketing

► J's Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jtheyapper1 ► J's Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jshaw.3 ► J's X: https://x.com/Jtheyapper1 ► J's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593593361704 ► Buymeacoffee.com: https://buymeacoffee.com/jtheyapper1 ►Spotify https://creators.spotify.com/home/show/1EEC6nGLgFFZv166z9lHBu