Little People, Big World alum Audrey Roloff recently found herself on the defensive when critics bashed her choice of side hustles.
Audrey stopped filming for LPBW alongside her husband Jeremy Roloff in 2018, citing “work that the Lord called them” to do.
Since cutting ties with TLC, Audrey continues to share much of her personal life with her 1.6 million Instagram followers.
LPBW alum Audrey Roloff shares photos from recent convention alongside husband, Jeremy
Recently, Audrey shared a carousel post with photos from a recent trip that she, Jeremy, and their youngest child, son Radley, took to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a convention for Young Living Essential Oils, the company for which Audrey is a brand ambassador.
Among the 10 pics Audrey shared, she and Jeremy got gussied up in their best formal wear for the event in the first slide. Audrey sported a form-fitting, pale blue mermaid evening gown while her husband Jeremy looked dapper in a navy suit, white button-down shirt, and brown leather shoes.
In her caption, Audrey talked about the friendships she’s formed since joining the Young Living family, saying, “This community is such a life-giving place in a world where there is a lot of life-sucking goin on.”
Next, Audrey acknowledged that she often receives backlash whenever she posts about Young Living on social media, noting: “On the rare times I post anything about this business on here, the MLM haters always start blowin up my comments?”
“And I genuinely wish that I could explain to them how it actually works, and the gift it really is, and that they could see the beauty of the community created… because I think if they did, many of them would change their minds. Heck, I did?,” she added.
Audrey’s post met with criticism from disgruntled MLM victims
As she suspected, Audrey was met with some comments from critics who questioned her business venture and criticized it as a predatory MLM, another name for a pyramid scheme. According to Forbes, MLMs are “also known as direct marketing or network marketing” with “a method of selling products directly to consumers using independent sales representatives.”
One of Audrey’s followers told the former TLC star, “Mlms are a pyramid scheme so people like you are the only ones making money. You literally are making money off of people who join under you who won’t make anything. You’ve only been as successful as you have been due to your huge platform.”
The comment caught the attention of Audrey, who took the time to give her explanation: “@laynaoliver14 mlms are not a pyramid scheme. By definition a pyramid scheme means you don’t have a product to sell… you’re just recruiting.”
She continued, “And we are completely based on product sales. The MLM aspect means that we are paid the advertising dollars or the sales commissions just like any other business that pays sales and marketing.”
Another comment aimed at Audrey was from a disgruntled fan who claimed they’ve been “burned” by MLMs in the past. They wrote, “I don’t think people who has been ripped off by MLM companies in the past are haters. I generally love what you post but I don’t need to be told I don’t understand something that has burnt me and other before. You of course don’t need anyone’s opinion so post as you see fit.”
Once again, Audrey fired back, once again defending her stance. She responded, “@hopeketo1 i actually know lots of people who have had bad experiences with MLM’s.. many people currently on my Young Living team came from those bad experiences. So I’m sorry if that was the case for you!”
Audrey has faced her fair share of backlash in the public eye. LPBW fans recently questioned the root of her success, particularly with Young Living Essential Oils, and credited her fame from the show for her success rather than hard work.
Little People, Big World airs on Tuesdays at 9/8c on TLC and Discovery+.