Complaint Review: Endeavor Advertising Group Inc. - Roseville Minnesota

It looks like these guys moved into the internet space and are now promoting their company with online coupons. http://www.endeavorads.com/  

With a little research, you will find that this company (Endeavor Advertising Group) has many affiliates (including CA Enterprises, and GDR & Associates). Each of these affiliates have the same business tactics, and you will have similar experiences with each of their "2nd-round interviews". PLEASE take caution when considering accepting a position at one of these companies, as it is likely commission only, and many times these companies are preying on those who have recently lost their jobs. Sometimes people are so desperate to find a source of income that they do not take care in finding the best fit job for their lifestyle. I have fallen victim to GDR & Associates, and hope that no others will have to suffer the consequences of these poorly run companies.

Here is an email I received through the University of Minnesota Recruiting site... Endeavor Advertising Group 1700 Highway 36 W Roseville, MN 55113 Rosedale Towers Suite #826 Hi Michael! We have reviewed your resume and we are definitely interested in learning more about you and how you might fit in with our company's long term goals, expansion plans or internship programs. We feel that your skills and interest match the openings we are currently looking to fill, and we think that you could potentially be a contributor in a position with us. Endeavor Advertising is a privately owned sports and entertainment advertising firm. We specialize providing consulting and advertising for high profile clients in the Sports and Entertainment community. Our company holds itself to the highest standards, working only with industry leaders who share our values. Due to this growing demand, we have plans to open up four to six more offices in the next year and are now in the final stages of completing our first round interviews. I believe that you are a strong candidate for our marketing team and would like the chance to discuss your employment opportunity further. The next step in the process will be to contact us at 612-455-6672 to discuss the potential of an interview, between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. Sincerely, Tabatha Rol HR Director 612-455-6672 Endeavor Advertising Group I have also been contacted by EAG and keep seeing their ads on Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com. How are these guys still able to get prime placement on all these recruiting sites. Also, as more proof that this whole company is a scam/rip-off. Their website, which might look professional to the average internet user, is nothing more than a free template downloaded from one of many template sites. I am a freelance designer, so this jumped out at me right away. No self-respecting marketing/advertising agency will use a template to design their website.

I received the notorious letter two days ago. Not only that, while I was deer hunting in northern Wisconsin my phone blows up at 4 p.m. the day before thanksgiving...it was EAG asking me to come in for an interview. Luckily, I never answered the call. This was my email response: Hello Tabatha, After researching your company and viewing feedback from others who have endured your interview process, I must decline any communication with your company out of respect for myself. I would also like to add that you and your affiliates should be ashamed of the scam you are running on desperate college kids and recent graduates. You are not the first scam company that claims to be a PR/Marketing firm to come knocking on my door, so understand that I know the proper channels to report to about your shameless soliciting. Thank you for your time, and happy hunting. Thank you all for the heads up. I would also like to add that there are dozens of these companies floating around, so keep your head up. If you ever see "filling positions immediately" or "no experience necessary" IT IS A SCAM. Avoid any company linked to Endeavor or Quantum marketing. I have talked to a handful of these make believe fantasy marketing firms, and they are always the same. The office is a dump-usually has a TV or loud obnoxious tunes blaring, and they will always tell you "the best form of marketing is face to face interaction, not print or web advertising." If they ask you to bring a copy of your resume after you've already submitted one, it is a scam. Or if they have a brain buster list of questions describing yourself prior to, you know it is a scam. Oh, and if you run into a secretary named Deb (who worked at Twin City Events and Metropolitan Marketing Concepts-both scams) you know it is a scam. It is easy to get sucked into these BS organizations with the economy limping the way it is, but you must understand that about 75% of these "marketing firms" who are hiring are scams. Just keep plugging away, and eventually you'll find a legit organization. Took me a whole year.

After recieveing the notorious email that you all have received, i decided to look up up this Wonderful company willing to pay me 45,000 my first year. After reading all of your reports i decided to reply back to their email as follows: After reading about your company and talking with Rockstar, I do not feel that your company is LEGIT. It looks and sounds like a scam. I am worth WAY more then $1.50 per coupon book. Thanks for considdering me though and have a FABULOUS day. I think that should get the point across. Thanks for the heads up guys.

It's changed to "CA Enterprises" now. And half of the entry level positions in the Twin Cities listed on monster.com are still this scam.

I had a similar experience to many of those posted. I found a listing on monster.com which I was somewhat wary of, but being in desperate need of a job, I applied. (For those that don't know, "Company Confidential" almost always means scam.) I was glad to receive a prompt response (within two business days,) so I set up an interview. Mildly surprised to get an interview for an 'advertising agency,' but once again, blindsighted by needing a job. Upon arriving, I find a small office, but this doesn't seem too unusual, since this is supposed to be a new branch. Kelly comes out and greets me, and we head in for an interview. This is where it gets really suspicious. Kelly describes a fantastic job that by all standards should require an MBA, but is 'entry level.' The interview lasts about five minutes, after which Kelly promises a call that evening. If this is real, there's no way I'm getting it. I get the call back, and remember the old adage "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." A quick google search later, I learn that others who went further in the process found all my suspicions to be true. This is a scam, plain and simple. I'd like to thank everyone for posting their experiences. You really saved me from wasting another day on this.

I had a similar experience to many of those posted. I found a listing on monster.com which I was somewhat wary of, but being in desperate need of a job, I applied. (For those that don't know, "Company Confidential" almost always means scam.) I was glad to receive a prompt response (within two business days,) so I set up an interview. Mildly surprised to get an interview for an 'advertising agency,' but once again, blindsighted by needing a job. Upon arriving, I find a small office, but this doesn't seem too unusual, since this is supposed to be a new branch. Kelly comes out and greets me, and we head in for an interview. This is where it gets really suspicious. Kelly describes a fantastic job that by all standards should require an MBA, but is 'entry level.' The interview lasts about five minutes, after which Kelly promises a call that evening. If this is real, there's no way I'm getting it. I get the call back, and remember the old adage "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." A quick google search later, I learn that others who went further in the process found all my suspicions to be true. This is a scam, plain and simple. I'd like to thank everyone for posting their experiences. You really saved me from wasting another day on this.

I had a similar experience to many of those posted. I found a listing on monster.com which I was somewhat wary of, but being in desperate need of a job, I applied. (For those that don't know, "Company Confidential" almost always means scam.) I was glad to receive a prompt response (within two business days,) so I set up an interview. Mildly surprised to get an interview for an 'advertising agency,' but once again, blindsighted by needing a job. Upon arriving, I find a small office, but this doesn't seem too unusual, since this is supposed to be a new branch. Kelly comes out and greets me, and we head in for an interview. This is where it gets really suspicious. Kelly describes a fantastic job that by all standards should require an MBA, but is 'entry level.' The interview lasts about five minutes, after which Kelly promises a call that evening. If this is real, there's no way I'm getting it. I get the call back, and remember the old adage "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." A quick google search later, I learn that others who went further in the process found all my suspicions to be true. This is a scam, plain and simple. I'd like to thank everyone for posting their experiences. You really saved me from wasting another day on this.

I had a similar experience to many of those posted. I found a listing on monster.com which I was somewhat wary of, but being in desperate need of a job, I applied. (For those that don't know, "Company Confidential" almost always means scam.) I was glad to receive a prompt response (within two business days,) so I set up an interview. Mildly surprised to get an interview for an 'advertising agency,' but once again, blindsighted by needing a job. Upon arriving, I find a small office, but this doesn't seem too unusual, since this is supposed to be a new branch. Kelly comes out and greets me, and we head in for an interview. This is where it gets really suspicious. Kelly describes a fantastic job that by all standards should require an MBA, but is 'entry level.' The interview lasts about five minutes, after which Kelly promises a call that evening. If this is real, there's no way I'm getting it. I get the call back, and remember the old adage "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." A quick google search later, I learn that others who went further in the process found all my suspicions to be true. This is a scam, plain and simple. I'd like to thank everyone for posting their experiences. You really saved me from wasting another day on this.

I'm a design student, and I've studied marketing. Handing out coupons is technically a type of advertising, BUT I still think Endeavor Advertising Group is a rip off! The job description lies. They even told me they have internships! For handing out coupons?! I was googling them, so I could find an address for my interview, and I find the trusted rip off reports, in which I have relied on in the past, when my identity was stolen by a fake loan company. So I obviously have faith in this site. I read the comments, and then I called Endeavor, and told them. They did not deny it, they just said, "okay." Interesting huh? And I did find their website to be awfully sketchy. It doesn't look like your typical Advertising website. I would know. Also on the website, if you look at the related keywords on the bottom, they listed many strange unrelated terms. . .like cashier, retail, restaurant, and they even spelled experience incorrectly. Here is what is says on monster.com: "SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT MARKETING REPS - Entry Level Positions Description Sports, entertainment, marketing, sales, advertising, promotions - do any of these words spark your ambition? How about - energetic, fast-paced, rapid advancement, growth opportunities, promotion from within, team atmosphere? Then keep reading......... EAG was founded with a vision of providing unparalleled results to clients in the sports and entertainment industries, while helping its people achieve their career ambitions. We are seeking ambitious and motivated individuals to join the marketing teams in our Minneapolis/St. Paul location. We create and execute promotional campaigns for sports teams, golf courses, restaurants and resorts. We are the alternative to generalized mass media advertising! We provide hands on training in all the following areas: Promotional Sales Marketing Customer Service Client Relations Campaign Management Public Speaking Strategic Planning Public Relations Since EAG has a firm policy of only promoting from within, we are motivated to train the right individuals from the ground up. Therefore, these positions are ideal for recent graduates or those looking to jumpstart a new career. We have full time, and paid internship positions available; all positions include merit-based compensation and advancement opportunities. We do NOT have any telemarketing or graphic design positions available. Please send resume to [email protected] ] or for immediate consideration call Kat at 612-455-6672. Check out our most recent press release! Requirements We are eager to hear from you if you fit the following description: No experience necessary but professionalism and integrity are a must! Ambition, strong work ethic, and a willingness to learn A positive and winning attitude Desire to grow personally and professionally Be a self-starter with strong problem solving skills Strong communication and interpersonal skills Desire to advance within the company Endeavor Advertising Group, Inc. DEVELOPING STRONG BUSINESS PARTNERS FROM WITHIN

Doing research before a job interview is always a great idea... well in my case, it was an amazing idea. In doing research before my interview at EAG, I tripped accross this website. Not to say that reading this information didn't "crush my dreams" a bit, as I'm a 22 year old college student, looking to get my foot in the door somewhere, but I'm glad that I caught it early, because knowing me, I would have fallen for anything. I just emailed and called to cancel my interview, so thank you!!

I too had an interview and was really excited for the call back BUT I thought it was weird that I didn't really find much after a quick google search on the company so I figured I'd dig deeper and found this site. You have saved me from the second interview and wasting my time. I am greatful. I too had the thought of walking out the door when I first sat down and had to fill out a photo copied snippet of information and listen to KDWB (which was a little too loud). I'm glad that a few people posted something about this company. I'm very greatful to all who have posted and the word needs to spread.

Ya see, you didn't even GO on the drive alongs. You just regurgitated Kelly's entire schpeal to all of us too. If you were 10 years younger, you would have accepted the job, seen first hand what a SCAM it is and have posted something quite the opposite. I have 6 years (and counting) in the direct sales industry. I understand the art of the "cold call"- this is simple exploitation. Kelly made it sound like there would only be "one day" of observation, the scary people I rode in the car with told me different. My problem isn't the "job" itself- it's the deception. There's no mention of the LOOOONG hours, the days of no income, the illusion that management is simply a few "observation days away", the shady ads in newspaper, the shady office, the fact that they tell EVERYONE they are only picking "1 or 2 candidates" when we all know that isn't true, do I really need to continue? There is a complete lack of ETHICS in this organization. Fortunately, I asked the right questions and got the heck out of there as quickly as possible. I feel sorry for those just starting off their career outside of their post-secondary education or current service/retail/minimum wage jobs out and going to THAT. I'm blown away at how many people actually stick up for this scam, I suppose you really believe that the Jehovah's Wittnesses that show up at your door just want to make small talk with you.

I actually have to disagree with all these comments. I too went on a 2nd Interview. I did car sales before and wanted more advancement, so when I happened upon the ad for Endeavor, I applied. I sat down with Kelley in the 1st Interview and we discussed the openings. I asked point blank if we did outside sales and he said yes. I was nervous, but I came in for a second interview. Here' where I disagree with all the previous posts: 1. They show you a FULL day of entry level sales and marketing (and YES, packaging unused seats for the Timberwolves and selling them at a 90% discount IS marketing. Does looking at a billboard of Randy Foye make you want to spend $100 at the Target Center ? No, but you give me 6 free tickets and I am there. That's why Endeavor is and will be successful ) Anyways, how many company companies let you spend a day with them, and on top of that are willing to show you the hardest part ? Did Bear Stearns tell its interviews last summer, all the Ivy League kids that they recruited, that they would be getting people to back loans with sub-prime credit backed papers ? Did they say, "Hey we aren't profitable and the VP's are secretly meeting about buyout plans" ....I doubt it. I RESPECT the fact they took me out and weren't afraid to show me the hard work. Well, I have 3 kids, so needless to say, I couldn't work the hours they would've needed, so I declined the job offer, but if I was 10 years younger, I would've been there in a heartbeat... Outside, face to face sales is one of the things companies look for in a future employee, I know, I am a recruiter know in the financial industry; and I can't think of a better way to learn great techniques and work ethic than at Endeavor. I wrote Kelley Latting a thank you letter and wished him luck after my interview, unfortunately, due to these postings, many "bandwagon jumpers" won't even give that job a shot. It's too bad too, I just placed a guy in Wells Fargo at a $85,000 plus commision spot because Wells Fargo loved his background. What was it you ask ? 3 years of cold call business to business sales in the medical field. Even if Endeavor isn't the end all, it would be a great fott-in-the-door experience that one needs to start their career.

Let me preface my observation by saying that I had been drinking before I came across Endeavor's job posting on careerbuilder.com. That having been said, I doubt I would have submitted my resume to this place if I had been in the right state of mind. It was pretty exciting though. I woke up the next morning and got an email urging me to set up an appointment, and before I could contact the "recruiter" I got a phone call from a lady about setting up an interview for later that afternoon (it was a Friday). I started doing some research on this company before I left. I checked out their website, which looked very suspicious. Not very well designed, and surprisingly generic looking. It didn't have any personality. I started checking out some of the supposed comments they had with their clients. Some quick googling, and I found the exact same comments from some VP of the San Francisco Giants on another website. Red flags were raised. I debated whether or not I should go, and I decided to anyway. What could it hurt? If I thought it was a scam, I'd be able to tell for sure when I sat down for my interview. I drive up to the address the recruiter gave me. A tall white office building off the highway, it seemed like it might be legit...until I walked in their office. Endeavor hit me over the head with the scam stick the minute I walked in. I go to the desk to talk to the person there working on their laptop, who turns out to be Kelly. He gives me a clipboard with a hastily prepared biographical information sheet to fill out. I sit down with another person waiting for an interview, and a couple minutes later someone else walks in. Nothing about their office seems professional. It's dirty, poorly lit, and they had either Beat 96 or KDWB playing a little too loud for an office setting. As I filled out my form, I contemplated walking out. But then again, I'm already here...I might as well hear what he has to say. The person before me had an interview that lasted about 4 minutes. When I go in to talk with Kelly, he says they're conducting preliminary interviews. He has a stack of about 50 resumes on his desk, and sits up tall with his diploma from Tufts University on the shelf behind him. I debate whether or not he got it from eBay. He says they're hiring three people, so I figure my chances aren't that great but then again, I know this is a scam. After some ill-conceived smooth talking, he asks me which of the three positions I feel I'm best suited for. I opt for the "managerial/operations" position, and elaborate on my qualifications for him. About four minutes later, I'm on my way back home. So my feelings aren't hurt when he doesn't call me by 5:30pm to invite me to a second interview. There was some good that came out of this I guess. I missed my exit on the way home and ended up at the section of I-35w that was closed for the bridge collapse. I saw a homeless person on the last exit where I was going to turn around, and gave him a handful of quarters from my change holder. Endeavor owes me for about 6 gallons of gas and about 3 bucks in change.

Be sure to tell Kelly (assuming he's not too busy selling pizza coupons) that this isn't the only thread on Rip Off Report, there are MANY others where Endeavor is listed. A quick search will procure them! (I have a sneaking suspicion we'll be seeing them on Channel 9 Investigations pretty soon...) "Sports marketing" - too funny!!! One of the things he said in the interview was that as soon as I had my own office, I would be able to "talk to Timberwolves." RIIIIIGHT. He also said that no one pays attention to TV Ads or any other media. Coupons were the only way to market to people. Why did I not run out the door then? Maybe I'm more angry that I was able to see how STUPID AND GULLIBLE I could be. It makes me sad that people who are DESPARATE for employment get their hopes up and sucked into this scam. They waste all that time that they could be interviewing for a REAL JOB. The "serial rapist" that was in the car with me told me that he needed to make $500 that week or face eviction. What do you want to bet that he was out selling pizza coupons for 10-12 hours a day and still wound up being evicted?

I have been waiting for a response-mainly because I called Kelly and personally told him about the site. I've had plenty of interviews now and I always refer back to this horrible experience I had with Endeavor. You bet I mention their name and Kelly's. They are a horrible company and I think they will realize they are pathetic. They'll go bankrupt sooner or later.

I have a degree in communications with an emphasis in marketing. When I saw the ad, I thought "PERFECT! AND IT'S EVEN NEAR MY HOME!" The ad seemed legit, the girl I spoke with on the phone seemed bright and plucky. Then it went down hill from there. I arrived for my interview 15 minutes beforehand to fill out paperwork. I was scheduled to speak with Kelly at 10am. The first thing I noticed was the size of the office. The receptionist didn't even have a real desk, just this little table and it was apparent that I wasn't the only "applicant" judging by the mountain of resumes on her desk (a pile of suckers). All of the doors of the office were closed and would sporadically open, some pour soul would come out and some jerk that looked like a cast member from the hit movie "Boiler Room" would call the next name. My red flags were waving, because I remembered what happened in the "Boiler Room"! Of the few doors in the office, 2 were offices and the others were these big empty spaces. The Boiler Room dudes had desks in their office (and nothing else) and the other rooms contained a wipe off board and not much else. I was starting to wonder where I'd be sitting because at that moment the floor or the waiting area were the only places with seating and that still didn't solve the workspace issue!!! There was loud top 40 radio blasting over a cheap, crackly speaker. This didn't strike me as professional in the least. I've NEVER heard any office worth its weight in professionalism blast T-Pain in their lobby! Finally at 10:30am, Kelly (a short, poor man's Vin Diesel) called my name. I went into his office which was practically empty. He started asking me a bunch of very canned questions, the kind of questions you learn in "Human Resources 101" He attempted to bedazzle me with phrases with, "once you're a manager" which I must admit intrigued me a bit. He told me that there were TONS of applicants, but when it was all said and done, less than 10 would be asked back for a 2nd interview. He said they would be making their final decisions by the end of the day and it was a good thing I got there when I did, because the application process was going to be ending in a few short hours. Later that night, I received the call from Kelly (at 10pm) and he informed me that I was one of the chosen and asked if I could be in bright and early for a 2nd interview. I was so excited! Go team me! Then he said something that should have made me run. "Wear comfortable shoes." But why? I thought I was on the path to being a manager? Where's my office? Where are my people? Where are our projects? I showed up the next day and was assigned to "Captain Delusional", a fellow who was "on his way to having his own office and making $300,000 a year" and was just "helping out the Minnesota office." He bragged about how he was their top producer and that every day, someone somewhere would give him a job offer. I still didn't know what I was in for. The next thing I know, I'm in a car with him, a former crack head (prison tattoos and all) and a guy that looked like a date rapist. He pulled out a map to select where we would go "make drops"... OF PIZZA COUPONS. The car had already left the parking lot, I wanted to dive out. These were those jerks that assault businesses/private properties with their hard sell/slick pitch for coupons that no one never really uses. They used to visit my old place of employment and security would usually have to kick them out of the building... how prohphetic! The first place we made a drop had the same result. I pointed to the "NO SOLICITING" sign and Captain Delusional said, "when I see that, it means COME ON IN! Opportunity awaits you!" He told me to follow his lead as he BARGED into people's offices that were clearly not open to the public. He would tell people he was FROM Papa John's (not true) and that once a year, Papa John's wants to let people in the area know that they are there (duh). They have a limited number of coupon books and yada yada. People got mad, threw us out, etc. He kept asking people their names. When one poor unsuspecting soul gave him hers, he USED IT through the rest of the building!! "Yeah, we just came from ABC Company down the hall... we talked to Karen, she's really nice and was really excited about our offer." LIES Then security came. They were NOT HAPPY. We had to run to the car and jump in...it was one car window away from being a Dukes of Hazzard moment. This continued for the rest of the day: lying, people getting mad, security and GUESS WHAT? NO ONE MADE ANY MONEY. NOTHING. ZERO. ZIP. By the time we stopped for lunch at 3pm, I simply couldn't take it anymore and called for a ride home because Captain Delusional REFUSED to take me back to the office, even though it was only a few miles away. He told me I was a quitter and when I told him I didn't appreciate being scammed into this, he gave me some kind of rhetoric about how "you gotta make sacrifices and anything worth doing is hard " - ok, so no money, no health insurance, no 401, SOLICITING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, lying about who you are, I finally found REAL employment and GUESS WHO STOPPED BY THE OFFICE? "Endeavor Marketing", or excuse me, the "D.A.R.E." program! Yes, this skinny 20 year old boy with a bad Wal*Mart tie came in and said that him and his sidekick (a kid who looked like he had done ecstasy the night before and was still riding high on the amphetamine it was cut with) tried to convince me they were from D.A.R.E. and that if I bought this big crappy coupon book, ALL OF THE MONEY WOULD BE GOING TO HELP KEEP KIDS OFF DRUGS. I asked them if they were from Endeavor and they said "YES". I told them the gig was up and I knew exactly what they were doing and that D.A.R.E. would be lucky if they saw one single penny. I asked how long they had been hustling for Endevor and they had both been doing the same thing for 5 days. I asked them if they were making a lot of money. Ecstacy Kid said he had made $15 and the other kid had made $46 They were doing 9 hour days. YES MY FRIENDS, THE KID THAT MADE THE MOST MADE $1.02 PER HOUR WITH NO BENEFITS. I told them to wise up and that a career at Hardees is more lucrative. I told them them about Rip Off Reports (where Endeavor was listed along with some identical opperations) and I also told them that if they didn't get out of my office which has "NO SOLICITING" on the door, I was not going to call building security, but the police and since I knew where Endeavor was, the cops could find out who they were. They were gullible enough to believe it and ran like little girls. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS HORRIBLE SCAM. DON'T BUY INTO THEIR LIES, YOU AREN'T A FAILURE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SELL PIZZA COUPONS WITH CRACKHEADS!!!!!!! I'M NOT BITTER OR JADED BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A "STRONG WORK ETHIC", I SIMPLY HAVE SELF RESPECT. NOW I HAVE JOB AND I'M ROLLIN' IN THE $$$$$. NO DOOR TO DO, NO LYING AND NO BOILER ROOM.

So I called Endeavor yesterday and guess who answered the phone? Kelly. I introduced myself once again and started asking him if he thinks its okay to lure poeple in after their first interview and misinform them of the job, his response, I have no problem with the way we handle our business. I also asked him if he was wondering why people weren't showing up for their second interview and told him it was because I was using word of mouth to demote the company. I told him unless they start advertising the REAL job description I'll continue to do so. I also told him to visit this website and read his company reviews it should bring him to light on the crooked company he is managing. He didn't have much to say obviously so I told him good luck recruiting and ended my call. I can't believe they think it's okay to mislead people. Good Luck KELLY.