The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe

If you enjoyed The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe, check out a new podcast from discovery+: Hillsong: A Megachurch Shattered. Listen to episode 1 here and follow Hillsong: A Megachurch Shattered wherever you get your podcasts. The dark secrets of Hillsong Church were exposed, setting off a chain reaction of shocking new leaks and revelations. A follow-up to the documentary series Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, this 7-part podcast series, Hillsong: A Megachurch Shattered, follows documentary filmmaker Dan Johnstone and former Hillsong NYC videographer and insider, Delali Rouge, on an emotional investigative journey to speak with more victims that have come forward in the aftermath of the documentary, expose damning new allegations against the megachurch and its leaders, and explore how the Hillsong community is dealing with the fallout. Dan and Delali also pursue the man who set the fuse on the Hillsong demolition, but has yet to speak: Carl Lentz.

For many in LuLaRoe, building their business became their entire life. Their work. Their community. And their sense of self worth. After leaving, it can feel like starting from scratch again. We'll hear from former retailer Lynzee Abel about her journey to build her life back post-LuLaRoe, and how she found stability in a new job. And we'll check back in with former retailer Heidi Castellani, whose story you heard in Episode One.Want more of the LuLaRoe story? Stream "The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe" documentary on discovery plus. Go to discoveryplus.com/lularoe to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms Apply.

This week we look at the psychology behind the foundation of LuLaRoe and other MLMs, including ideas like deceptive recruitment and “lovebombing.”  Steven Hassan, founder of the Freedom of Mind Resource Center, will break down the mind control tactics built into the recruitment and social control of MLM participants, and how they overlap with cult tactics. We'll also talk about questions you can ask yourself - and the red flags to look out for - if you're being recruited by an MLM. Want more of the LuLaRoe story? Stream "The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe" documentary on discovery plus. Go to discoveryplus.com/lularoe to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms Apply.

How did the anti-LuLaRoe movement start?  Much of the pushback began with women sharing their stories online after receiving defective products. And after the company changed their bonus structure, there was a mass exodus of retailers. Many organized largely via Facebook groups and blogs, including the “LuLaRoe Defective” Facebook group, which at one point had over 75,000 members. Former LuLaRoe consultant and anti-MLM advocate Roberta Blevins describes how the group galvanized women to take a stand, and ultimately take down LuLaRoe.   Want more of the LuLaRoe story? Stream "The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe" documentary on discovery plus. Go to discoveryplus.com/lularoe to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms Apply.

LulaRoe targeted stay-at-home moms as their primary demographic. The company would market to these moms directly by touting flexibility and the idea of “full time pay for part-time work.” While appearing to support moms, the reality was they targeted women who felt undervalued, preying on women's desires to feel “productive” and contribute to their family financially. Meg Conley, writer of the “Homeculture” newsletter, discusses  why these women are often locked out of the labor market, and how LulaRoe built their business on this so-called “underutilized resource” of stay-at-home-moms. Want more of the LuLaRoe story? Stream "The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe" documentary on discovery plus. Go to discoveryplus.com/lularoe to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms Apply.

LuLaRoe's rise coincided with the rise of influencers and platforms like Facebook Live which retailers used extensively to sell their products and host online events. These platforms became the perfect medium for depicting the aspirational lifestyle that LuLaRoe was selling. Top sellers were encouraged to show off a flashy and upbeat lifestyle by posting about their achievements and using the hashtag #becauseofLulaRoe. So how did LuLaRoe retailers build their followings online, and what was the reality vs. the image they were creating? Author and Under the Influence podcast host Jo Piazza joins us this week to break down how social media and influencer culture contributed to LuLaRoe's success. Want more of the LuLaRoe story? Stream "The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe" documentary on discovery plus. Go to discoveryplus.com/lularoe to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms Apply.

Former LuLaRoe consultant Heidi Castellani joined the company in 2014 after moving to Connecticut and becoming a new mom. She was drawn into the multilevel marketing company by the comfortable leggings and instantaneous community of women she found. Heidi shares her experience, and why after two years, and tens of thousands lost, she was done.Want more of the LuLaRoe story? Stream "The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe" documentary on discovery plus. Go to discoveryplus.com/lularoe to start your 7-day free trial today. Terms Apply.

In 2015, thousands of hopeful retailers bought into LuLaRoe, one of the largest MLM clothing companies, only to have their dreams dashed. Before long, lawsuits and allegations that LuLaRoe was operating a pyramid scheme started filing in from retailers, many of them women and stay-at-home moms who had risked their homes, their bank accounts, and their relationships with close family and friends in an effort to be their own boss by selling LuLaRoe leggings.Join BuzzFeed News reporter Stephanie McNeal as she chronicles how so many people got caught in this scheme of leggings and lies with expert interviews and first-hand accounts from the recruits who lived it—and are fighting back.