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I was a recent college graduate, and was unemployed. Had a good friend I'd known for about 2 years who was in WFG but never openly talked about it to me or pushed it on me. She offered me the opportunity after I graduated.

Now mind you I'm a huge skeptic and of course I was very doubtful at first, but I had nothing else to do in the meantime while i was applying to jobs and waiting to hear back also, I wanted to learn about financial concepts and I'm the type of person that will give most things a shot at least once in hopes of learning something about the experience or myself so I joined.

Being a skeptic, I asked A LOT of questions, and mind you these were not in any way in an effort to belittle or disparage WFG but they were legitimate questions. I genuinely wanted to learn more, but it seems that every question I asked would be answered extremely vaguely, with some sort of secrecy, or the same thing over and over. I found this very off putting and discouraging because i was genuinely interested and was never given straightforward answers.

Despite this I kept on to learn more about the WFG experience. As someone who likes to think out of the box, I came up with unique ways of reaching to people that may be interested in the opportunity. Unfortunately this too was discouraged because i wasn't allowed to talk about the company (huh? lol) and even after refinement it didn't follow "the system". I found this very off putting as well, not only was asking questions discouraged but also creativity. Still, I went on the field training and attended all the meetings, recruited some and all that jazz. As time went on I grew more and more restless.. the meetings were poorly organized and unprofessional, they hardly had any substance, it was the same formulaic *** about selling and recruiting and quoting the system builder "bible". Anytime i tried to think outside the box or suggested anything unique despite abiding to the system it was always discouraged and I was told to simply follow the steps laid out and I would be successful. Moreover it seemed like the longer everyone was in WFG the more and more they seemed to resemble clones. Also, I watched as my friend and other WFG agents were constantly preoccupied with WFG despite having families and other responsibilities, it seemed like it consumed their every thought and was their utmost priority. I watched as my friend grew increasingly pushy and frustrated with me because I was more concerned with learning the products and financial concepts than being out in the field recruiting and selling. I finally ended up walking away because I just couldn't keep trying to change myself to fit in to the WFG culture.

I have no doubts there are successful very hardworking and driven people in WFG. I'm convinced they sell legitimate products and most of them truly believe in helping people. However, just like any other business and considering the fact that just about anyone off the street can join WFG there are undoubtedly shady, unprofessional , greedy and ill informed agents out there so beware.

Also, if you're like me - someone who values their individuality, is creative, likes learning, likes to ask questions, are a problem solver, carves their own path, craves stimulation. People with those traits are already a minority in most settings and chances are WFG is definitely not for you.

If you have no problem being another cookie cutter/drone/sheep following whatever is laid out for you without question and work at it despite it being mind numbing and repetitive after the 3rd time then WFG is for you and this is why they always push motivation down the agents throat. Is it any wonder so many Asians are in WFG?

Hard work and dedication has nothing to do with being successful or not in WFG. I'm a very hard worker and dedicated BUT i must enjoy what I am working on, moreoever this enjoyment and MY personal goals become my motivation and I need no external motivation - I'm very laissez faire. In WFG you will have the upline constantly breathing down your neck making sure you follow the system and pushing you.

I will say this though - Kudos to those who stick to it and at least spread financial awareness to people who otherwise wouldn't know a thing about finances.

One last note, if you are thinking about joining in order to learn about financial concepts and investing like me.. you're better off just buying some books and studying on your own time or taking some college courses. Also, the negativity from being out in the field does get pretty tiring after a while.

Monetary Loss: $100.

Location: Dallas, Texas

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Guest

Agreed. It really all boils down with your work ethics attitude, who you work with or if the office is the right fit for you.

Don't expect all members from any group or organization to handle business ethically. In every group there will always be good apples and bad apples. I have switched from one office to another: the setting and atmosphere between the two are different.

The old office I went to was mostly full of middle-aged immigrants and I felt like I didn't fit in well with them...they seemed pretty phony too.

I currently go to a diverse office; some of the members are middle-aged people but most are young and well-educated students/graduates.

They are genuine people who truly value teamwork.

Again, it really depends on your own attitude and who you work with.

Guest

A question - if you are such a creative, dedicated hard working and open minded person, do you mind sharing what you do now and if you are even an example of a successful person? Just so we know we take advise from someone who is worth looking up to

Guest

A question - if you are such a creative, dedicated hard working and open minded person, do you mind sharing what you do now and if you are even an example of a successful person? Just so we know we take advise from someone who is worth looking up to

Guest

Excellent! As a former wfg associate, I felt the same way.

Thank you for saying this!

It's good to know I wasn't the only one that felt like this. The best thing I did was walk away!

Guest

Maybe it's just the offices. Maybe some offices just don't have as helpful people or driven to be helpful people as other offices do.

My office is quite friendly and when I joined, my trainer told me everything to the T and why I would pay for this expense and what it goes to and other expenses as well. I frankly enjoy my office and find my environment enjoyable, but every office is different I suppose.

Guest

I recently joined WFG and my experience has been great. I am also a person who like to learn about financial planning.

I have learned a lot from just attending the meetings a few times. I am talking about someone has a master degree in Finance from a university with a very good reputation and someone who has joined a top Life insurance company before. I am sorry to hear some people had bad experiences with WFG.

My current understanding is that, because of the WFG business structure, each 'group' becomes unique in its own way although there are certainly many similar features due to the WFG business model.

The ultimate 'culture' of each group largely depends on the leader or leaders who started of the group (especially someone who become CEOs). If a 'group' is started by someone who is selling driven, I would guess that one would not be able to learn much about finance, at least from the beginning. However, if a group is started by someone who is more education oriented, then one would have a totally different experience. I am fortunate to be able to join a group like that.

As for someone's comment regarding why it is all Asian, my group is also largely Asian. I am not sure whether everyone WFG group is Asian. Again, my guess is that the leaders of these Asian groups are Asians. In fact, I found out that it is very difficult to recruit non-Asians into the Asian group that I joined.

Perhaps, it is due to a cultural difference.

I also want to respond to the comment about pyramid scam. I don't know the structure of any corporate America, or the world for that matter, that is not some kind of a 'pyramid' structure.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-827951

it passes as legit as it used 1 of his 2 branches to legitamize a scheme.you use selling insurance.now remove the selling insurance and you could be selling jewellery and you could do the same.you could tell everybody to become experts in jewellery and they can all own there jewellry store and the only thing the first one to own a store...the abc store has commissions for all those that are opening another abc jewelry store,etc....etcc.....would that make business sense with hundreds of jewelry store in a small area...nope..and this is what is the 2nd branch,where those at the top of the pyramid make money only because others are opening what they say is a legit business.why would buying insurance from wfg instead of directly with the companies agents that know the specific product make more sense?doesn't and the only incentive is the first agents make money on others...that's it.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-827951

My group is also 98% Asian-immigrants with other non-American immigrant students in the America on a student VISA or H1-B VISA. It's so strange to see this odd environment.

I've decided after attending this Elite Circle Meeting that WFG is difinitely not for me. I don't like sells and I don't want to ruin my reputation in the business community selling families that hardly have discretionary income on 7702 tax free life insurance plans.

It seems shady and honestly unethical.

By the way, I am a successful business person with an MBA and I'm a senior executive so I'm qualified to say this business model is not for me.

Guest

I couldn't agree more! I am asian and I too notice those recruiters and employers are all asian. Interesting point and I feel like this is all the pyramid scam!

Guest

I agree with the statement that the people all seem like drones, but really the comment about them all being asian? My curiosity is whether people are making money from this company or not.

Guest

Why is it that everyone's Asian? There are so many things about it that are contradictory and my instinct point them out to me..it has nothing to do with being positive or negative..if your spirit's leading you to see things for what they are..you'd be a fool to ignore them.

Guest

2 minutes into the first meeting I realized this was a total waste of time. Just to be polite about it, I stayed for till the end and thanked the person who invited me and got out.

It must be very difficult for you to have genuinely tried to get into the "finance" part of it, a part that in reality does not exist.

Financial Advisors, they call themselves? Joking right?

Guest

NOt sure where you were attending but that is not how it is done where we go. Sad you got a bad apple.

Guest

I actually work at World Financial Group (WFG). I've worked at WFG for 10 months now, full-time. It's an amazing business. I've already made around $10,000 in the business. Every year my income is going to grow because we have an amazing training program that teaches associates exactly how to grow their income. Once I have kids, I plan to do what many women at our company do and take time off work. But the paychecks will still keep coming. The best way to do business at WFG is to build an agency. Then you help more people with their finances, you give an amazing career opportunity to more people, and you grow rich while not having to work. One out of every 79 full-time workers at WFG earns over a million dollars per year.

At McDonalds, there's Hamburger University that teaches franchise owners how to run McDonalads so that they are cookie-cutter. Similarly, a simple, proven system drives WFG business. Following this simple system, hard work and dedication lead to success at WFG. If you're looking to create a new invention, then WFG might not be for you. But if you want to help many people and to earn a lot of money, then WFG definitely helps to accomplish these goals.

-Rasa

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-729184

If one out of 79 earned over a million dollars with WFG, we would all be beating down the doors to join. Think about it Rasp girl.

And if you have to depend on phantom checks from a MLM, you shouldn't be having a baby. You can't afford it.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-847257

To anon above, it takes dedication and a lot of hard work to become a millionaire. Attending WFG meetings alone isn't going to do much, you also have to be out on the training/working field. You can't just simply pull success straight out from your ***.

Guest

I do not discount your experience, however I am with WFG and I can eat the lunch of most CFP's I meet. WFG is an amazing business platform.

Our business system manual is jokingly called our bible but there is room for a lot of free thinking. Not all WFG offices are the same. Word of advise to those that are looking into WFG, visit multiple offices and find out which one will be a good fit for you. This is going to be your business.

If you just want to sell insurance products please go to a farmers, state farm or other. WFG is for people that want to build a legacy.

Guest

Agree with your points and I've only attended some of the "financial education" and recruitment meetings. Must be worse if you're actually an agent in training.

Also funny how you mentioned the Asians. I'm here in Los Angeles and I thought it was just demographics. Seems that Dallas, TX recruitment is the same.

I haven't made a decision yet as to whether or not I'll sign up to be an agent, but thank you for sharing your experience.

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