Complaint Review: InnerGroup International/Encore Society/Principle Based Businesses/The Entrepreneurs Source - Oklahoma City Oklahoma

Mr. Ehrlich, you said in your rebuttal that if a person doesn't have a sufficent amount of advertising money set aside for his business, that you generally recommend they invest it into a CD account of some kind, as oppossed to joining your company.

I can for one attest to the fact, that you never suggested such with me sir. In fact you were more than happy to bring me aboard to the Encore Society when I first joined the program. You did encourage me to join, stating to me that I would be able to make my money back very quickly, due to the fact that so many people were comng aboard during that time.

You can deny all you want, and say that you made no such comments, but it will rest on your conscious no matter what.

Hello, I am the founder InnerGroup International, Encore Society which are divisions of Principle Based Businesses Inc. which is my umbrella organization. I have learned over the last few years as an entrepreneur the key to survival is keeping a flexible company especially when in the world of the internet. Secondly, having a diversity is key to survival and prosperity in the 21st century with the goal of creating multiple channels of income from a variety of non-competing industries which offers compensation plans designed with the real possibility of developing perpetual and residual. Building a diversified company is a solid business strategy I learned from the 143 year old privately held 88 billion dollar company I was a senior executive of with a career of over 20 years with them prior to joining the ranks of becoming an entrepreneur. I quickly learned in my first year of self-employment was the sudden and shocking paradigm shift in thinking I had to adjust to moving from an employee to an entrepreneur. Two different worlds. Many people never make that transition and find self-employment to be highly frustrating and the hardest work they have ever done. This could be the reason why the Department of Commerce states over 82% of all small businesses fail. First, I appreciate and respect the fact that this website "Ripoff Report" is a legitimate website for consumers who believe they have been ripped off. There are other websites of similar nature that are only "paid advertising" for competitors to maliciously attack and character assassinate another competitor online and then "lead the unsuspecting" to their business website that presents a perfect business opportunity. I guess this is why the internet is like the last frontier. It is like the wild, wild, west where anyone can make up anything about anybody or company no matter if it is true or false and people actually believe it because they read it on the internet and tend to prejudge before learning as Paul Harvey used to say "the rest of the story." So here's "the rest of the story" the person who copied and pasted the same complaint as they have done else failed to point out to the readers who are exploring the possibilities of self-employment and are trying to cut through all the noise and clutter to find out the facts about if a business concept is right for them or if self-employment is right for them... I recognize ripoffreport.com is a legitimate website and does not participate in the online activities as already mentioned above. This is the reason why I believe I must respond firmly not only to defend what I have worked hard to build over the past 6 years as an entrepreneur, but also the fact I owe it to the many satisfied Clients of my company and to disclose what is accurate and what are malicious misrepresentations, and defamatory comments, and unfounded information leading one to believe my company is a fly by night ripoff organization preying upon the elderly. I founded my company in November of 2002. Until recently, I have had a clean record with zero complaints. However, late in 2008, I was shocked to receive 3 complaints filed against my company. All coming in the same week, following the same outline WORD FOR WORD as is written in this complaint against my company from 3 former clients who all outsourced my company at the same time to provide market thier business opportunity each had already spent thousands to invest as Independent Distributors called Emerald Passport, requesting our assistance in helping them sell their products and services. The 3 people jointly reversed all credit card charges to my merchant account, requiring me to provide documented proof to their false accusations. After reviewing the documentation I provided to the Merchant Account Company, in all three cases the charges we're reversed back onto each of these three individuals. I provided documentation and agreements they all signed up front with my company regarding what we would do and what we could not promise or guarantee. The same three then filed the same complaints at the same time with the Better Business Bureau after the Merchant Account service denied reversing their charges. After providing my proof of delivering what my company says we will and will not do, the BBB also ruled the complaints to be of disgruntled people who simply wanted their money back to re invest it in other business opportunities. They ruled in my favor on all three cases and closed them. You can look up my company with the Better Business Bureau and find we have not just a "A" rating nationally but a "preferred A" rating for doing business with us. The same three individuals sent the same complaints to the U.S. Attorney General's Office. Once again, charges have determined to be unfounded, while they continue their campaign onto rip off report. In my 7th year of business, these are the ONLY complaints I have ever had and deemed necessary NOT to simply roll over and refund money when we delivered upon everything we said we would do as a company. In addition, my records are open to anyone who would like to view the documentation and agreements they signed up front and exactly what they could expect and what we could do for them. Secondly, you can also view real true documented positive testimonials about how my organization has personally helped individuals transition, avoid the financial pitfalls associated with becoming self-employed to achieve their dreams I will also share and YES they make money using our proprietary marketing system. The success of my Clients is truly my only business. So it makes no sense I would risk embarrassing and shaming my wife and children as a husband and father and certainly would have been out of business a long time ago if ripping off clients were my mode of operation. And the reason why I am taking large chunks of time to defend the integrity and honor of my business and my existing Clients. There have been and always will be financial risks involved with any business venture where there are never any promises or guarantees you will make money. Not even McDonald's guarantees their franchisees will ever make any money. It depends upon the efforts and skills and hard work put in by the franchisee and the support provided by the franchiser. It is built upon a win/win relationship just as we focus on with our Clients. It would be unethical to ever promise or guarantee that which you cannot deliver as well as quite foolish. Clearly, what we outlined in our agreements and did deliver upon was not what they had convinced themselves in their own minds of. Even though they may say they understand we cannot offer any promises of making money for them...If you read their complaint that is EXACTLY what their complaint is about. I am amazed given the internet today is like the "wild, wild west" where anybody can say anything about anyone and simply because it is in writing on the internet, people do not take the time to find out if the accusations are true or false. I personally believe it shows a lack of character and credibility when individuals complain about a product or service, yet do not reveal themselves or offer any proof other than accusations. On the other hand, if someone is willing to disclose all information freely as well as how to contact them as I am willing to do as founder of these businesses to answer any questions and anyone can readily see the proof and documentation we exceeded expectations. This individual joined Innergroup which was designed to help Independent Distributors grow their business with Emerald Passport. This was NOT a diversity based strategy which is what Encore Society is. They state in their first sentence InnerGroup WAS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH MARKETING AND SALES OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT FOR AN INITIAL INVESTMENT AND MONTHLY FEE. What our agreement clearly states, which this individual signed in not one but three different places was there we're NO promises of sales. However, it IS true we provided Marketing up to and including closing of all sales on their behalf. We would do everything in our power, but people buy when they are ready to buy, not when we are ready to sell to them. Secondly, our company is NOT an INVESTMENT company. We are a MARKETING COMPANY in which we provided a variety of media advertising to a micro-targeted audience who would be the most ideal prospects interested in their educational product line. We did this through various online and offline advertising done consistently (again I have all the invoices paid by my company to the magazines and online advertising and webinar companies and voice broadcast companies as well as Direct Mail companies, postage etc we did on their behalf). The monthly fee is an advertising co-op all Clients contribute to in order to maximize our advertising exposure nationwide and attract the best prospects possible we as professionals then present their product line and collect a decision on behalf of our clients. If we sell them, they are paid. There was no breach of contract regarding non-performance. Again, no promises or guarantees of sales were made and that is clearly spelled out in the agreements this person signed up front. WHAT WE DID PROMISE AND DID DELIVER WAS NATIONAL ADVERTISING, PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO THE ADVERTISING, AND WE ALSO PROVIDED the names, addresses and phone numbers of these prospects as well for every single month this person was part of our business. The MONTHLY Newsletter online is a 24/7 online Newsletter located at www.therememberwhenmovie.com and also www.thetrainoflifemovie.com . This is not just monthly but hourly 365 days a year! Anyone can check it out and is used to attract the right audience of prospects. The introductory newsletter that went out is modified and added to, so this individual clearly does not understand what online enewsletter marketing is all about. I am unclear of the people this individual says they are speaking to. Our attrition rate is significantly less than any business within our industry. I would request who these people are they are speaking with...since we have less than a handful still in InnerGroup as a result of the fact it was set up for only Emerald Passport Distributors. We diversified beyond education into health, travel and communications with Enore Society. We also resigned as Independent Distributors of Emerald Passport when we discovered via worldwide news AND CONFIRMED their second in command at Emerald Passport was a former grand wizard of the Canadian KKK....this is not an accusation. You can google this information and confirm it. We did not want to be associated with a company of this nature and why we encouraged all InnerGroup clients to diversify and move to Encore Society with a lower cost, highly ethical education based company that has far advanced HD technology online than that of Emerald Passport at substantial lower costs. This individual chose not to make the shift and instead decided to stay with Emerald Passport and InnerGroup which we kept running for the small few who did not see the vision of diversity. IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS PERSON WAS ALREADY AN INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTOR OF EMERALD PASSPORT AS WERE THOSE THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS SPOKE TO BEFORE SEEKING MY COMPANY OUT TO DO MARKETING ON THEIR BEHALF. WE DID NOT SEEK THEM OUT. We made NO MONEY and actually LOST money on those since we received no benefit and the ONLY money we make is WHEN WE MAKE A SALE. The monthly fees all go towards the national advertising campaign online and offline which is documented. As every adult should be aware, being in business can be risky and difficult. No different than the stock market. Within the industry we are in, there is a high failure rate because individuals who join network marketing companies or home based businesses are taught the same traditional method of marketing which trains Independent Distributors to approach their friends, family and fellow workers and make a complete nuisance of themselves and/or strongly recommend their Independent Distributors purchase "leads" and make 100 phone calls a day. Which is basically a phone telemarketer. A person must have a high level of tolerance for rejection and about 95% of the population does not take something like that very long. The track record is most people fail within the first 90 days. This is the exact reason why I diversified and created a marketing system with Encore Society so those who did NOT want to make phone calls, face rejection could plug into our system which has a complete follow up process that builds relationships overtime. Also, this is why so many people are attracted to our Encore Society. They can diversify and be semi-absent or even absentee clients. We are in a marketplace where if you are NOT diversified, you are REALLY IN A RISKY POSITION FINANCIALLY. We offer a non-traditional and refreshing alternative so the only people they would ever speak with are those who said YES and joined their organization. Our approach is using Direct Response Marketing combined with Relationship Marketing. Anyone familiar with this realizes this is effective, but can take time since we are talking about building relationships and not high pressuring people. In fact, our system is designed so the individual contacts us. We do not do any phone telemarketing. This approach is very attractive for the busy person who cannot stop their fulltime job, people who do not like to sell or talk to people and those lacking the necessary skillset to sell. We are an additional TOOL in their marketing toolbox to bolt onto their marketing strategy. People prefer to "outsource" the selling and marketing which requires skill, knowledge and years of practice. So my company is simply to "supplement" any current marketing activities which is stated in our agreement up front which this individual never talks about in their complaint. A person who is not comfortable as a salesperson, and wants to outsource their sales/marketing efforts to us is always an OPTION and not something forced on anyone. People contact us. We don't contact people to become Clients. In addition, a person can fire us with 30 days notice if dissatisfied. The 30 days is only because of our contracts with National advertising companies requiring cash BEFORE printing. So, they will be receiving the BENEFITS of new prospects for their products and services 30 days after they have fired us. Bottom line, what we offer our clients is a marketing alternative and a follow up system and a commitment we will do everything in our power to close all sales for them. That is no different than any other marketing company could offer. The choice to spend their money using our services and what we can and cannot do is clearly defined up front. In fact we discourage anyone who does not have at least 1 year of a marketing budget set aside to give their business adequate time to build velocity. As a certified Franchise Consultant, on average any franchise will take 3-5 years to make their first dime of profit. So we warn people, if they cannot sustain the start up costs associated with building a business, they should not be putting their money into business opportunities and instead let their money earn the 1-2% interest in a CD or savings account. Encore Society represents 4 business concepts with leading edge products and services that will literally create a titanic market shift within their industry causing the traditional products within their respected industries to become as obsolete as what the computer did to the typewriter and the automobile did to the horse and buggy whip industry... Unfortunately, it takes people who " skate where the puck is GOING TO BE, and not go where the puck is CURRENTLY AT ON THE ICE". Most people go where they see the hockey puck....not where it is GOING to be. Just one of these business shifts will no doubt create many NEW millionaires who understand the power of leveraged diversity within business concepts that compliment one another and products that are revolutionizing their industry. What you are reading in this complaint is either one or a combination of 3 individuals who continue to try and maliciously attack my company and clients. They chose to stay with the old and not risk transitioning to the new. We clearly alerted all Clients to where we see the "puck" going. 95% of our clients immediately made the leap. A handful chose to continue on with a company that is sinking like the Titanic and the loyal are rearranging the chairs on the deck and choosing NOT to get on the lifeboats, then blaming the companies, the marketing , the products for their lack of success. I empathize with this person(s), because as a human I too have lost thousands of dollars on poor choices of business concepts and investments and it HURTS when they don't work out. But, I shoulder the responsibility for my poor choices recognizing nobody forced me to invest or join a particular business concept and use a particular marketing company. I hold no hard feelings or ill will towards those who influenced me to invest. I am a adult and not a child. Therefore, I am responsible for the choices I make. The biblical principle a person reaps what they sow cannot be broken. You can only break yourself against it. Remeber, this person(s) sought US out when they realized they lacked the selling skills and probably never made a Emerald Passport Sale. I can only conclude after this person(s) spent several thousands of dollars investing in Emerald Passport and failing to succeed.. they came to us as a last resort hoping we could salvage their business very fast since we have a strong record of success. We have NO association with Emerald Passport. It was formerly our education product line we represented and still do for the less than handful that did not transition to Encore Society which is Innergroup. Everyone who DID stay with InnerGroup, we continue to work their prospects on their behalf with Emerald Passport products only, but there is as I said less than a handful who continue with this sinking business concept. As a babyboomer my diversified marketing company, Encore Society reflects the fact that boomers need to be recognizing we are living in a new age and society where it is not time to RETIRE, but to REWIRE! I can consider myself also being part of the elderly, but I don't use my age as an excuse to try and rip off a company who did exactly what they said they would do, and this former Client(s) made their own choices and now want others to refund money for the real work, effort and money we spent on their behalf to do everything possible to close sales, since this is our only source of compensation! I would encourage anyone who wants to learn more about the actual facts and success stories that are growing every week, then I encourage you to contact me directly at the email address below. Sincerely, Randy Ehrlich Founder-Encore Society [email protected]

When I read the negative comment about Encore Society I was totally surprised. I have been a member since Septemeber 08 and have been very pleased with thier marketing. I have consistently been making good money from Encore's Marketing program and have even been trained on how to advertise on my own. I too came from the Emerald Passport Business and contacted Randy Ehrlich personally to join. I gave him no money for this educational business and only wanted him to help me promote it. As it turned out the Emerald Passport Business had some real issues. First, the economy turned for the worst making the 20K investemt out of reach for most people. Secondly, to everyones surprise, thier International Marketing Director had ties to the KKK in Canada and allegedly spent time in jail and was the Grand Dragon. I know that when a reputable company like Randy Ehrlich's realized this, they immediately resigned and added a very reputable eduacation business called ILearning Global. I decided to join Encore Society and be part of what they call a diversity platform. That just means that they promote multiple business giving people a choice vs. trying to just sell one single product or business. Also, I have learned this method of "not putting all of your eggs in one basket" has proven to protect me and my business. I now have 4 businesses and Encore will help me promote all of those. Its a great concept, if one business begins to struggle, I have another that will pick up. When a company like Emerald Passport runs into trouble, then they can easily move me into something that is doing well. I feel well protected against anything that might arise. I also must say that I have never been fond of selling and the Encore program has people that will do that for me. The best way to describe what they do for you is a Full Service Marketing company. They place ads, follow up with my leads and will even help close the business. This has simply been a life saver for me as I don't have to worry about calling alot of people or chase around my family and friends. I read in the persons comments that they poured money into this system. I don't understand that because it is cleary written in all of my contracts that the system is my choice and I can cancel at any time. Its month to month, so I have complete control over my advertising dollars. If it turns out they aren't doing a good job (so far its been great) I will immediately stop. Their system is completely optional, I don't have to spend a dime with them if I don't want too. For the first time since I have been trying to start a business from home I have found a Marketing company that truely has help me. I am earning a good income and have been completely satisfied with Randy and his team. They seem to be good people who really care about my success and I highly recommend them to anyone reading this. I think the person making these comments are simply not true and damaging to all the members of Encore Society. It is apparent this person was part of InnerGroup and never joined the Encore Program and seems to be upset that his/her friends did and are enjoying the program. I don't see how they can comment on something they are not even part of. If fact it may even be illegal to say such bad things and never have been part of the marketing system. They probably have exposed themselves to a nasty lawsuit.

I'm writing this in response to "Anonymous" from North Carolina regarding his experience with Encore Society. As a current member all I can say is that I must echo his/her sentiments. I cannot comment on the earlier EPI (Emerald Passport International) phase of Encore Society, but I can honestly say that the overall "relevant" communication has quickly gone downhill. The fact of the matter is members pay $399 a month for Encore to market four different businesses on our behalf. That SOUNDS good, but the problem is there is absolutely zero information regarding just HOW, WHEN, and WHERE our money is being utilized, and worse, IF it's working at all! There used to be weekly conference calls but those have disappeared over the last month. The calls were very vague anyway....A lot of talk about "We've had the best week we've ever had..." and "We're making a lot of sales on your behalf, etc...." I can't speak for anyone else, but I have no idea who were the benefactors of these sales. (It certainly wasn't me.) I honestly don't believe that Mr. Ehrlich is a scam artist, but simply a gentleman with big ideas and a grand vision, but has bitten off more than he can chew. I'm not going to go into the inner workings of how the group functions, but based on my experiences, and lack of response to very relevant questions about marketing & advertising and the REALITY that overall communication has eroded SIGNIFICANTLY over the last couple of months, I have my doubts that they can make it long term and satisfy members given the current way things are handled. (I don't think it's out-of-line to want to know HOW, WHEN and WHERE our advertising dollars ($399 a month) are being spent. Seems like a fair question. (I know this is a universal problem based on the blanket emails being sent out by Encore.) Obviously, the members have shared their concerns with the Encore folks and are becoming quite dissatisfied with the lack of answers...and results for that matter! Would welcome any comments.