Print the value of index0
Rich Dad Education, Wealth Intelligence Academy, $495 Real Estate Investment Seminar, Is A Very Expensive SALES PITCH Spent 2-10 hr days, and 1 8-hr day listening to an arrogant blow hard pitching $10-60,000 advance trainings! All Over The Country Internet
This is just a current report that Rich Dad Education is still at it. They come into your city, put on a 2 hr. pitch to sell a $495 seminar on Real Estate Investing. They took my credit card info, handed me my recipt and said to stay after for a jump start. I should have noticed the red flag, the "sales man, heavy hitter" told us to hold our questions till the appropriate time. Then when he was done talking, he left the room. Nice. The young assistand collected us all who bought the upgrade to $495, just told us to call the 800 number to make any changes or to add the name of our guest. By going over my material the next day, I found a tiny slip of paper stuck behind everything stating that I had 3 days to cancel. Another nice way to slip it by, heh?
The $495 seminar was a giant SALES PITCH to buy the advanced products. The red flag on this event was the 'disclaimers' put out by Bob Venter, trainer employed by Wealth Intelligence Academy, that we couldn't use laptops or exchange business cards with each other. This would have been a good place for me to meet people and to possibly meet someone who was looking for a partner to take more classes....not allowed. I felt intimidated, minimized, made to feel like a second class citizen, after all I wasn't rich like Bob or Robert. What a name dropper. The ultimate slap in the face that I was being demeaned was the moment Bob, got in my face, standing large over my table, and YELLING in his microphone, "Stand Up, NOW! Go! Sit in those chairs over there!" He literally, made us get up and go and talk to his sales people to get us to buy the giantly expensive classes. These classes were harped on both days earlier and it was apparant that we weren't going to get out of there easy. An interesting thing happened, about 10 minutes after the loud proclaimation to "Get Up!", it was becoming apparent that not many people were going to file suit, and suddenly ol' Bob, just pulled the plug. The class which was scheduled till 5pm, was dismissed at 3:00 with the words coming out of Bob's mouth, "I think we'll just wind this up, right guys? We'll start taking the folks who are interested in educating themselves to be our real estate investors of the future, and the rest of you can go. We need to get on the road, I have to drive back to Dallas" The odd way of ending the workshop, the refusal to answer any questions or to allow our unique needs to be met, all wave giant RED FLAGS that this in not an experienced Trainer, it's a high energy, extreme SALES PITCH, that only has one goal...to fill the pockets of the Training academy.
By the way, folks, what kind of learning can you do when you're sitting in a hotel meeting room, and you don't have access to your training tools. The guy never used the workbook, you couldn't take notes on your laptops, and he gave us only 1 handout....the list of courses available, with blanks that he spend 40 minutes explaining the great saving we were going to receive. Oh, and some homework, go home on Fri and Sat night and call your credit card companies to raise the credit limits on your credit cards (so you can pay for their overpriced advanced courses). Who want to pay about $5000 for a course when your just sitting in a hotel meeting room. And they don't offer you classes in your home city....you end up traveling and incuring costs or you get less education and value by taking their online courses. It's a scam, folks, totally unprofessional education. It's set up for A-type/hype persons. That you? Go for it, it's not for us sensible, effective, types.
Austintx
smithville, Texas
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
William
San Diego,California,
U.S.A.
Rich Dad Poor Dad is 'of course' marketing .. no surprise
#5Consumer Suggestion
Tue, March 31, 2009
The format as described is accurate. You are invited for a few hours, and then for a fee (about $500) you can attend a 3 day weekend on the subject at hand (in Rich Dad's case, they do this for both Real Estate and Stock Market investing). During the 3 day weekend, you are given many tips, great advise, great exposure by someone who is very knowledgeable. However, the subjects for either Real Estate or Stock/Option trading are way too varied to cover in one weekend ... so, yes .. this is an education 3 day session that is to tell you and sell you on the value of investing in your future on one of these tracks.
The high dollars that this person is quoting is probably for the complete offering which is made up of either 8 to 10 separate courses over either the same number of 3 day weekends or 6 week online live courses. One does NOT have to pay for the complete offering ... yes, there are dollar incentives to do so, but if one can budget and think about only taking a couple of courses before they need to see a return, that person has an offering available for them as well. So options there are many and happy students there are as well.
Is it a shame that one is 'sold' during a $500 weekend? I guess ... but what did you expect for $500? to become Donald Trump? Did you apply any of the techniques that were introduced to you? Did you sign up for just one specific course perhaps (probably about $5000) and applied what was learned? Or, do you just like to dislike the fact that one needs to market/sale to promote education, and pay for that education with knowledgeable, consultative experts that know what they are talking about?
Personally, I am undertaking the stock route with Rich Dad and have completed one course so far and have another paid for. I am about to outlay for some couching as well, and will look for a return on my investment before going further. This is a path that a student in real estate can take as well. I don't advise anyone to outlay for the 'whole thing' even though that is asked for.
Jessyp
Hialeah,Florida,
U.S.A.
Really? Where do you find yourself now?
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, January 06, 2009
Its interesting how you say this seminar is a sales pitch... OFCOURSE IT IS! They are doing business. What a way to put in negativity. Thats what most people see it as- $60k? pfft!- RIPOFF!
I disagree with you. If you can show me proof that you got ripped off and that you didnt make money with these advanced courses, then I will consider my options. These people are successful because it works.
By the looks of you complaints about the company, you havent done anything and gave up on them. Right?
Let me ask you something: What are you doing right now? Are you employed, self-employed, business owner, or investor?
I want to know about your success! Feel free to give me pointers mr. success man!
You honestly think people havent made money in this business. What they are doing is not illegal, it makes sense, and it works because they have done it themselves. If you can get me a person to write to me that has experienced the advanced training, please let me know!
Thanks!
and good luck being stuck in the rat race!
Jessyp
Hialeah,Florida,
U.S.A.
Really? Where do you find yourself now?
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, January 06, 2009
Its interesting how you say this seminar is a sales pitch... OFCOURSE IT IS! They are doing business. What a way to put in negativity. Thats what most people see it as- $60k? pfft!- RIPOFF!
I disagree with you. If you can show me proof that you got ripped off and that you didnt make money with these advanced courses, then I will consider my options. These people are successful because it works.
By the looks of you complaints about the company, you havent done anything and gave up on them. Right?
Let me ask you something: What are you doing right now? Are you employed, self-employed, business owner, or investor?
I want to know about your success! Feel free to give me pointers mr. success man!
You honestly think people havent made money in this business. What they are doing is not illegal, it makes sense, and it works because they have done it themselves. If you can get me a person to write to me that has experienced the advanced training, please let me know!
Thanks!
and good luck being stuck in the rat race!
Cj001
INDIANAPOLIS,Indiana,
U.S.A.
Positive "Rich Dad" experience in Indy
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, January 06, 2009
I am amazed that people would think that the "FREE" teaser seminar (put on by a successful company, run by a wealthy person) is actually conducted as a charity! And that it would actually be run at a deficit (after advertising on your local radio, TV, paper etc.)
1. Why would a company do that?
2. What successful real estate investor would come and "donate" their time to train others (the majority of which will never apply what they are taught?")
WAKE UP PEOPLE! It's called MARKETING!!! They have something we (I, maybe you too) want.....INFORMATION! If you knew how to do what they do you wouldn't be there. If I could have found the info elsewhere they wouldn't have gotten my $495 either.
The free seminar is a lead generator for them. The 3 day general training is very informative but not entirely comprehensive. There are simply too many facets of real estate investing to "get it" after 3 days. I enjoyed it and feel comfortable enough to try to apply select principles to real deals, BUT I would like to know more but can't afford to continue on with the training at this time.
They offer a business system in which they don't have the ability to collect royalties, so they need to get their money up-front. If you can't see that they are setting you up to pay for the training by way of increasing your credit card limits then you are too green to call yourself an adult. Besides, think of all the dumb stuff you charge on your credit cards! Additionally, think of all the money we give to the universities to have the opportunity to earn $60-$80k for the rest of our lives with NO job security. Is it really so ridiculous to charge $10k for wealth training?
I'm confident you will get out of it what you put into it. And remember, the company is in business to make money and so are the trainers) (why do you go to work?), but recognize that they likely do have a passion for what they do.