Emblazoned on their home page is BeachBody’s promise…
“We do not doctor photos. Ever. All of the results you see here are real and unretouched.”
It’s a smart move because the photos show amazing transformations. And since BeachBody has been slammed for using sneaky marketing tactics that overpromise results or fail to give full disclosure, you have to wonder.
Overblown marketing aside, if you’re willing to put in the work to transform your body, this company has probably got you covered.
Beachbody is a health and wellness MLM that sells all sorts of weight loss and dieting programs like P90X, Insanity and Shakeology.
We all know someone who’s done (or sold) P90X. Whether or not that person is rocking 6-pack abs and a thigh gap, the product was a household name for a while. So is this the fitness MLM for you? Keep reading to find out.
FAQ
1. What does Beachbody sell? According to Beachbody, everything you need to get fit, including 700+ workouts and fitness PLUS nutrition plans.
2. What are Beachbody’s most popular products? Beachbody’s signature product is P90X3. This program is an upgrade of the original P90X program that was all the rage a few years ago. It’s a whole workout in half the time, and it’s supposed to be tons of fun while getting you totally ripped in 90 days. The 80 Day Obsession, is supposed to give you the abs and booty you’ve always wanted. They’re calling it a total-body transformation and expecting you to make this your number-one priority for the full 80 days. Also popular is their Shakeology, a superfood-packed protein supplement shake that gives you the nutrients you need to lose weight, reduce junk-food cravings, and enjoy healthy energy.
3. How much does it cost to join Beachbody? It costs $39.95 to become a Team Beachbody Coach. You’ll also pay $15.95 per month to cover the cost of a personalized website and back-end operations. This covers your starter kit, which includes a welcome book, 30-day access to your Coach Online Office, a personalized Coach website, and support tools to run your business.
4. Is Beachbody a scam? Not necessarily. As a customer, you’ll get the training and products you pay for. And though they obviously work for some people, they may or may not work for you. That’s true of every health and fitness program, by the way. As a coach, be aware: You’re not likely to get rich, and you may find yourself having to give out health and fitness advice that you’re not qualified to give. All to earn a few extra bucks. Now that starts to look a bit scammy.
5. What is Beachbody’s BBB rating? B+
6. How long has Beachbody been in business? Since 2007
7. What is Beachbody’s revenue? $863 million
8. How many Beachbody distributors are there? 406,000
9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2017, Beachbody paid $3.6 million to settle a lawsuit from the city of Santa Monica over automated credit card renewals. They were also asked to tone down their marketing, so it’s not overpromising results it can’t always deliver. [1] In 2013, Consumer Labs released a report declaring that Shakeology Greenberry is not approved due to lead contamination. Beachbody denied their claim. [2]
10. Comparable companies: Optavia, It Works
Their products have become some of the hottest in the fitness and weight loss industry, so should you join up and promote this trendy company?
I’m not saying it’s impossible to make money with Beachbody, but there are better options out there if you want to make passive income.
Click here for my #1 recommendation
Either way, here’s the full review on Beachbody.
Overview
Beachbody was founded in 2007 in none other than Santa Monica, California, home of the infamous “Muscle Beach” with the lofty goal of ending obesity.
Founders Karl Daikeler and Jon Congdon, infomercial veterans (Beachbody products are also sold through infomercials), have actually been running Beachbody for decades (since 1998), but it didn’t become the direct selling company that it is today until 2007. Not coincidentally, that’s when the company’s sales skyrocketed.
By 2012 they were on the DSN’s Global 100 with net sales of $218 million, and in 2013, they increased sales by 50.5% in one year for a total annual revenue of $328 million. Astounding.
Going into 2017, they were up to $863 million in sales, so even though some of the initial hype has worn off, they’re still going strong.
While opening a network marketing arm has killed brand reputation for others, it was honestly a genius move for Beachbody, and I give them props. The problem with most network marketing companies, especially in the health and wellness industry, is that you’ve got people desperately peddling miracle pills and fat burning shakes left and right, with no solid proof or science to back up ridiculous claims (hint: Nefful).
Beachbody is an anomaly when it comes to MLM fitness. Most MLMs try to sell you on the idea that losing weight and being healthy is fast and easy, as easy as taking a pill or drinking a magical diet tea.
Beachbody does quite the opposite – they sell you on the idea that getting fit will be very, very hard work but also very, very rewarding. And it’s the truth.
Beachbody coaches are living proof – walking, talking billboards for the program. Because it’s an intense workout program and coaches have to complete the program in order to sell it, they tend to be pretty fit. At the very least, most experience pretty visible transformations in their body after completing the program. Friends and family take note, and they end up wanting to buy into the program without even having to be asked.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Beachbody coaches are spam-free. In that regard, they’re just like every other MLM. In fact, they’re one of the worst. Almost every single person has gotten a private message from a Beachbody coach subtly suggesting that they should lose some weight or has seen countless before-and-after photos pop up in their newsfeed.
How much does Beachbody cost?
In order to become a Beachbody coach, you’ll need to pay a $39.95 activation fee, as well as a $15.95 monthly fee to keep your account active.
However, you’ll also need to complete certain fitness programs and challenges if you want to sell them. Instead of paying the $39.95 activation fee, you’ll instead buy a “Challenge Pack” that ranges from $140-$305, depending on what challenge you’d like to partake in.
Products
Beachbody sells a number of different fitness and nutrition programs and products.
Fitness Products
Team Beachbody’s fitness products are mostly made up of in-home exercise videos that have become wildly popular.
P90X, their flagship program, is said to be valued at around $700 million on its own. [3]
After P90X, they released two more workouts in the same series that are more difficult – Insanity and Asylum.
They’ve since come out with tons of other programs, including a popular 21-day fitness program, a Hard Corps boot camp program, a 3-Week Yoga Retreat, Brazilian Butt Lift, Core the Force, an MMA-inspired workout program, and even Country Heat, a country dance-inspired workout, among others.
Most are month-long programs and cost around $60-80. Full-blown programs can cost upwards of $100-$200, with some nearing $300.
Nutritional Products
The company has also created nutritional apps and meal plans, as well as the nutritional shake branch that’s also gained a lot of buzz – Shakeology.
Shakeology is a weight loss program that uses meal replacement shakes of various flavors that come in at about 140 calories a piece. The program is not cheap – it retails for about $120 per month. The program offers one shake per day, with each shake costing about $4.
Now, that’s not cheap. But if it’s a legitimate meal replacement, $4 a meal isn’t outrageous, especially if it actually helps you lose weight. But with only 140 calories in the shake, it’s hard to call Shakeology shakes “meal replacements,” and $4 for 140 calories is pretty steep.
Benefits:
The Shakeology products, although expensive, do seem to be filled with mostly health, nutritional ingredients. They are made up mostly of protein, fiber, and low-fat ingredients.
Side Effects:
There is no evidence to prove that Shakeology meal replacement products provide anything more than a placebo when it comes to weight loss. Furthermore, there hasn’t been enough research to show whether or not some of the “superfood” ingredients, such as spirulina, cacao, and flax, are actually healthy to consume on a daily basis. [4]
Compensation Plan
Coaches earn 25% commission on personal retail sales, which is around average for these kinds of products. Considering the high price tag, you could make some okay side money off this alone if you’re able to make a lot of sales. For each P90X or Shakeology program you sell, which go for $120 a pop, you make $30.
You also get compensation on team cycle bonuses, which is where you can earn a little more on a regular basis.
Beachbody has a binary compensation program, pretty common in the MLM space (see the full rankings here). You get a cycle bonus every time your team completes a cycle, which is 300 TV (team volume) with at least 100 TV on your weak leg. The bonuses are $14 for Emerald Coaches, $16 for Ruby Coaches, and $18 for Diamond Coaches. This amount gets paid to you every time your team hits 300 TV.
Recap
While their products are popular and effective, there are still some concerns with Beachbody “coaches” giving fitness and nutritional advice when they are in no way trained professionals.
Not to mention, all their “advice” comes, primarily, from the motivation to make more money.
In the end, Beachbody is just as spammy and cult-like as most of the other health and weight loss MLMs out there. That doesn’t mean it’s not a good way to make some money on the side, but you just have to consider how many friends you’re willing to alienate and piss off along the way.
Look, I’ve been involved with network marketing for over ten years so I know what to look for when you consider a new opportunity.
After reviewing 200+ business opportunities and systems out there, here is the one I would recommend:
