Q Sciences is a wellness MLM that has a pretty solid mission: to bring happiness to as many people as possible.
Their flagship product is a miracle pill meant to deliver on that promise.
Except this nutritional supplement doesn’t give you 6-pack abs or make you look 30 years younger (hint: Modere, Isagenix, or TruVision). This one supposedly cures mental illness.
They know better, of course. But that doesn’t erase the gray cloud hanging over them after some distributors made wildly unrealistic promises.
Are their products true scientific boons, or are they just another placebo effect? We’ll let you be the judge.
FAQ
1. What does Q Sciences sell? Q Sciences provides products that work together to help you live a “quintessential life.” That includes nutrition, sports nutrition, weight loss, and skin care.
2. What are Q Sciences’ most popular products? Q Sciences’ Q96 Micronutrients is their flagship product. It improves brain function, boosts mood, and supports the central nervous system. It’s also validated by 41 researchers, 16 universities in four countries, 26 journal publications, and 25 million sales. How’s that for scientific? Unfortunately, this is the product that’s been pitched as a replacement for mental health prescriptions. Ouch! It’s going to be hard to live that down!
Also popular is REV Q Sport, an energy drink that provides natural, time-released caffeine, for a physical and mental boost with no crash.
3. How much does it cost to join Q Sciences? You’ll spend $79.95 to start your business with Q Sciences. It’s recommended that you also buy a launching kit, which costs $560.
4. Is Q Sciences a scam? No, Q Sciences is a legitimate business selling real products.
5. What is Q Sciences’ BBB rating? D+
6. How long has Q Sciences been in business? Since 2012
7. What is Q Sciences’ revenue? $5 million is our best guess based on the numbers we’ve seen. There haven’t been many updates on the company since 2016.
8. How many Q Sciences distributors are there? No numbers have been published.
9. What lawsuits have been filed? In 2015, Nadia Tarazi sued Q Sciences for breach of fiduciary duties and unfair and deceptive business practices. It was dismissed in part in 2017. [1, 2] Also in 2015, Q Sciences filed a suit against Naturesmax for trademark infringement, then dismissed in 2016. [3]
10. Comparable companies: Shaklee, LifeVantage
So should you get involved?
I’m not saying it would be impossible to make money with Q Sciences, but there are certainly better options out there…
Click here for my #1 recommendation
Either way, here’s the full review on Q Sciences.
Overview
Q Sciences was founded in 2012 in Pleasant Grove, Utah, by Daren Hogge, an industry vet with over 30 years of history in direct sales.
He actually came out of retirement to start Q Sciences. He decided to work with Mark Wilson because he was so impressed by the results of a product Wilson was creating up in Canada. The product was alleviating stress in great numbers, especially in children, and had been doing well in Canada for 17 years.
After discussing, Wilson agreed to give Hogge exclusive rights to market the product through direct sales, and Q Sciences was born.
The company easily surpassed their first-year growth projections by a huge margin, doubling their sales in their second quarter of 2013. They almost doubled their distributor numbers as well. [4]
They continued to double their revenue every year the first few years they were in business. We can’t be sure that growth rate has been maintained. No new information has been published.
Q Sciences has a 4-to-1 customer to salesforce ratio. Their product sales speak for themselves, independent of their recruitment practices, which is rare in MLM.
Apart from that, customer retention at Q Sciences is 65% — almost unheard of in direct sales.
After just a few short years in business, Q Sciences started going global. They now market their products in Canada, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany. Wilson plans to open up in 20-25 countries in the next 5 years, and 50 within the next 10 years. Their first stop? Soon they’ll be expanding to Mexico as well as Central and South America (watch out Omnilife). [5]
Last we saw, their global revenue sat at a humble $5 million, with only 50 full-time employees. While they’re still small, their customer retention rate and strong product sales might be enough to help them grow.
However, bad press might put a stopper on that growth. A couple of years ago, Salt Lake City Weekly released a story about Q Sciences that didn’t exactly show them in the best light.
In 2013, at an event held by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, distributors were present and telling any attendee they could get their hands on about a “miracle vitamin” that cures everything from schizophrenia and bipolar to ADHD, OCD, autism, and depression — in their words “any mental illness” can be treated with this all-natural vitamin.
Not only is this illegal (vitamins cannot be legally marketed as drugs that treat mental illness according to the FDA), but it’s also extremely dangerous. Convincing mentally ill people to abandon their medication can cause them to slip into crisis mode or even become suicidal.
Although this is actually against Q Sciences policy and the CEO spoke out against her sales tactics, this is common behavior for distributors in these kinds of MLMs, and it’s a big reason why they’ve gotten such a bad name. [6]
Products
Their products are certainly well-researched… by MLM standards.
They’ve got over 20 studies backing the formula of their flagship product now, but not all studies are created equal. According to Ellois Bailey, a mental health nurse practitioner at University of Utah Health Care, the studies that Q Sciences uses aren’t randomized and controlled. Also, they aren’t exactly conclusive in supporting claims that the supplement can actually improve mental illness conditions, although she does believe nutrition is a huge part of mental health. [7]
The flagship product is EMPowerplus Q96, a micronutrient brain supplement that improves mental health. Wilson originally designed this product with his children in mind, both of whom were diagnosed with bipolar at a young age. He didn’t want them taking large quantities of pharmaceutical drugs, especially when those same drugs hadn’t helped their mother and Wilson’s wife, who had committed suicide because of her bipolar disorder. So, he developed an all-natural nutritional supplement that could improve his children’s condition.
The formula consists of 36 vitamins and minerals, and it’s backed by over $25 million in independent research and 25 published university studies. [8]
QBiotics came next and helped really push the company upward. This is a patent-protected probiotic with controlled release. It comes in a form suitable for pet consumption as well, called QPets. [9]
Their other nutritional products include Q Omegas, an essential omega-3 fatty acids supplement; Q Amino Acids; Q Prime for the microvascular system; Q B12; Q Biotics; Q Cleanse; Q Fiber; Q Focus; Q Max multivitamins; Q Max Berries; Q Metabolic Boost; Q Prime; Q Sport; Q Vitalize for men and for women; Q Sprays, oral sprays that helps fight illness, including Boost, C+, B12, D3, Relief, and Sleep; and food bars eQuivalent Chocolate and eQuivalent Vanilla.
Diet and Weight-loss products include Q Trim, a kit of everything in this category. Individual products include Q Sport, an energy drink; eQuivalent Chocolate and Vanilla, which are food bars; Q Fiber; and the spray Q Boost.
Q Sciences’ skin care includes a cleanser, mask, lift serum, day cream, night cream, and restore cream.
Compensation Plan
It only costs $79.95 to join as an Independent Business Owner, which is below average. However, this basic kit includes no full product, just some marketing materials, a back office, and a small sample box.
To start off with any product, you have to buy their business acceleration kit, which costs $560. Damn.
It does come with a ton of product, though, but that’s only useful if you can sell it.
According to their Qx eXponential Infinity Plan, there are tons of ways to earn. [10]
Retail Sales Profit
You get paid weekly on the difference between your wholesale cost and the retail price at which you sell your product. You need to sell 100 PV per month to qualify for any compensation though.
Team of 3 Bonus
If you can maintain at least 3 personally sponsored recruits whose monthly volume totals 500 PV or more, you get a $50 bonus each month.
Quick Start Bonus
You can qualify for this bonus within your first 30 days if you hit 40 PV or more.
Unilevel Commissions
You get a monthly commission on sales from your downline, as long as your recruits stay active. Commission is 5% on your first 5 levels and 1-4% on levels 5-10. You have to move up in rank to access higher levels.
Global Leadership Bonus
They also offer a Power 30 bonus pool, a customer sales bonus, an elite bonus, a bronze bonus, a car bonus, and a generational matching bonus.
Bonuses galore.
Recap
The compensation plan really isn’t bad. And although there are some shady issues and bad press surrounding the product, it seems to be mostly well-liked by customers, as long as it’s marketed ethically.
I’m actually concerned about the fact that they have 4 times more customers than they do IBOs. While you don’t want an MLM to focus so hard on recruitment that their product demand is completely inflated and made up solely by distributors, it looks like Q Sciences is having some serious trouble on the recruitment end of things.
Perhaps this product was better off when it was being marketed through regular sales methods.
—
As I’ve shown throughout this review, I’m far from a Q Sciences hater. Products seem legit with a ton of research behind them.
But when it comes to income streams, slinging health supplements isn’t nearly as sustainable as other options out there.
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:
