Complaint Review: Paula Fellingham The Womens Information Network

I never said she didn't have a piece of paper that says she has a doctorate I said to ask her where she got her doctorate.

Anyway here are some quotes from former COO's , investors and members- they can't all be wrong

QUOTE from an email to the former COO from a gentleman in Australia that Paula went to see in May of 2013:

 These days I have nothing at all to do with Paula for exactly the reasons you mention. She tells lies in the most charming and persuasive way. In fact I think she believes her claims are true, even when I gently pointed out that they are not. Her claims about the number of women involved in the WIN, the number of hits on your website each day or month and many other figures were just dreams, not facts.

STATEMENT from one the former COO’s of the WIN

 “ I can boldly dispute that.  I had no control or access to the funds, but played a critical role in building out the e-TV for Women program, which was the primary revenue source, a fact that Bojabie (www.bojabie.com) can attest to as I was in their offices every Tuesday meeting with them to strategize and build out the e-TV for Women platform.  I also was running The WIN email database, stored in Infusionsoft.  Ms. Fellingham was not emailing out to 50,000,000 each week.  She was emailing out to about 13,000 each week with about 1,000 people actually opening the email. 

 STATEMENT from another former COO of the WIN

…the fact that you have consistently misrepresented hundreds of thousands of dollars being available to establish and grow the WIN, when none of it was true (ever), that you are affiliated with known convicted frauds and liars, and that you continue to enlist fresh, unsuspecting participants to your now dubious cause, I must insist that you refrain from including me on any future correspondence…

… also reflects on your consistent thirst to drive forward without standing accountable for the people and programs you have failed to serve in your wake.

Paula, seriously, I am absolutely astounded at how you have consistently mishandled and mislead so many people for such a long time, with respect to funding this organization of yours; all of the broken promises, broken commitments for compensation (even those in writing), all the while, you taking advantage of individuals' personal financial resources for your travel, hotel expenses--while knowing FULL WELL you cannot pay them back. This from a woman who claims a strong Christian tie to her faith, yet does not stand accountable to anyone for her misrepresentation.

Further, to note that people who have left the WIN, such as these good people whom you have reassured would be taken care of (like Michelle Anton and other "replaceables"), and others, knowing full well that they will not see any financial compensation for their efforts (and those with whom you have worked in the distant past, who have yet to be compensated)--well, it just isn't the way business is done. By contrast, you are surrounded by some of the most seasoned, capable professionals with whom I have ever encountered, yet you have continued to mislead and commit false resources to them, not that it is your fault that they (or I), have continued to believe you and have operated in good faith and in some cases, verbal and written assurances by you--even at their own fiscal and personal peril.

STATEMENT from an investor:
I received a forwarded email from last week where you'd listed me as a team member which was surprising to me given our last two phone conversations from some weeks back. As you know, I'm deeply saddened by the facts I've discovered concerning the WIN, your misrepresentations and the number of people who have been harmed.
Even if you were in a position to make restitution to those effected, I would not be interested to affiliate.
Please cease to make any representations concerning any association with me. I am repentant of not being a good steward and doing my diligence concerning my investments in your company.

STATEMENT from a potential event director

I was contacted by a few other women today who informed me of the depth of the financial trouble GWS/WIN is in, about all the staff members and board members that have left or will be leaving, and this simply makes my head spin.  I cannot talk positively about a sinking ship Paula, nor should anyone expect the ED's to.  Money alone will not change this so I urge you to get some help to deal with the aftermath because when this hits the on-line world, especially with so many people leaving and talking about it, there is bound to be negative media attention surrounding it.  You will need to be proactive so you are not dealing with it alone. I still believe that you meant only good when you began, but recruiting more people into a sinking ship is never a good plan.

STATEMENT from a potential investor

Lastly, I talked to some other people who have known Paula Fellingham since 2007 and know of her reputation and told me not only to walk, but to run, from her. I can now tell you that I will have nothing to do with her, although professionally I will always be polite and she will never know. I simply will just be "too busy" to be involved with her in any way.

QUOTE from the former director of the WIN Netherlands

Over a year now I have been involved with the Women Information Network. The Mission of the WIN was really something I was looking for and have been very dedicated to spread the vision for 14 months now: Internationale Womensday in the Netherlands last year with over 1500 women… Situation right now:Three weeks ago the Dutch team stooped organizing the event because all the promises made were not held. Our trust in Paula was broken because of different things that happened

 LETTER to Paula from another investor

Hi Paula. I appreciate the courage it would take to reach out, amid all of the allegations.

If it were one person saying things, I would want to hear your side. When it is the entire team all saying the same things, I don't think I need an individual conversation.

What I am most disappointed with Paula, is your telling me that the WIN had put on all those 180 events in all of those 36 countries. To find out that the WIN had actually only hosted a few, and you had just advertised for the others, was a big disappointment.

Paula, but you aren't able to tell the truth. You are deceiving many people to invest time and money (me included) who would not have if you had been honest.

I don't have time for law suits, but I truly hope that enough people come against you to stop you from continuing your pursuits. Your dream of helping women worldwide is  a good one, but you have not been a good leader. I don't know if you are capable of honesty.

I learned a wonderful, expensive lesson from you--one that I needed to learn:  If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, acts like a duck, but tells everyone it is a cat, it is still a duck.

I hope you are able to learn from this as well.

LETTER to Paula from another event director

Dear Paula

 There is no anger in our heart, just sadness I wish you the strenght and the knowledge to build an organization founded on trust and integrity You have a wonderful WIN team who depend on you and a Great group of women all over the world who look upon you as their example

Let that position be worth it ... 

 LETTER to Paula from  a former COO

 Paula.

 As a preamble, what I am about to share with you is all truthful and accurate. None of this content is conjecture, meant to be presented with any sort of malice or malcontent. It is, however, time that you--as the Chief Executive Officer of the Women's Information Network--face a solid, grounded reality as offered by your soon-to-be former Chief Operating Officer, as to the actual state and welfare of The WIN organization:

 …your arbitrary decision to continue to ignore my professional advice, and your arbitray decision to continue to represent the WIN as imminently receving "major investment," (funding, revenues, etc.), which has never been accurate, I have determined that my continued counsel and resources are of little use and provide little impact with your objectives for the WIN. Your insistent pursuit of people who provide free services (or worse yet, people whom you have further promised resources with which you do not have to compensate even your current obligations), to replace the people to whom you already owe reimbursement, those whom you have told me are "replaceable," is both self-interested and flat out unethical. By the way, I question the legality of such actions and your conduct as the leader of The WIN.

 … By contrast, you are surrounded by some of the most seasoned, capable professionals with whom I have ever encountered, yet you have continued to mislead and commit false resources to them, not that it is your fault that they (or I), have continued to believe you and have operated in good faith and in some cases, verbal and written assurances by you--even at their own fiscal and personal peril.

 … but when it comes to business, well, there is no sense of business process or ethics in the mix, contrary to the solid and sound business practices I spent hours advising you to follow back in December. … So many people to whom you have committed resources you have never had, who have given so much, (some of whom as I've said, are pending personal financial loss, family conflict and even loss of property, possessions and homes), while all along, your tying yourself to people of dubious histories, illigitimate and outright illegal practices, and checkered pasts. Paula, even after 35 years of professional training and business success, it boggles my mind, given that you have had as part of your "insider team," advisors with extensive and successful backgrounds at all levels--to simply ignore their advice and proven counsel (like Val Christiansen, myself, Hector, the "Michelles," Kathy, the Sterry's, your show host people, and even your own son-in-law). …