I thought it would be nice to start a thread about their wannabe entrepreneurial attempts and other acts of greed.
Here are a few of their scams:
-Next Level "Relationship Advice"
-Saturday Sunshine
-Affiliate Link Lies
A & J's Businesses (Saturday Sunshine/Next Level/etc.)
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- Learner
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Re: A & J's Greed
If you scroll down on the Next Level site it says this
"Special 40% Off Offer
We normally would set the price of this program at $49.95 per month. This is a bargain considering that we've been offeredd an upwards of $1,000 per hour in consulting by many people to help them with their relationships. Even at that rate, we can't help everyone."
"Special 40% Off Offer
We normally would set the price of this program at $49.95 per month. This is a bargain considering that we've been offeredd an upwards of $1,000 per hour in consulting by many people to help them with their relationships. Even at that rate, we can't help everyone."
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- Gossiper
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Re: A & J's Greed
I am really curious whether any of their subscriber "friends" have actually signed up for this shit show of next level and benefitted out of it as they claim it to be. It is really strange how so many people can be blind and think that A & J are these amazing and honest people when in reality they are money and fame hungry!!
Re: A & J's Greed
Hahahaha omg who the heck do they think they are? They act like people have been on their knees begging for advice when it was probably one or two people who weren't even being serious about it/have a lot of money to spare. No one should pay for their crappy advice when its all going to be really obvious shit like "communication is the key", "never sleep sleep while you are mad at each other" etc. These two are so predictable.Trill_Murray wrote:If you scroll down on the Next Level site it says this
"Special 40% Off Offer
We normally would set the price of this program at $49.95 per month. This is a bargain considering that we've been offeredd an upwards of $1,000 per hour in consulting by many people to help them with their relationships. Even at that rate, we can't help everyone."
Someone should add the links to the website they got their products from on here too. I get that the prices have to go up in order to make a profit but how they decided to personalize their products was completely lazy on their part, a SUN logo? Anything for a quick buck.
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- Wallflower
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Re: A & J's Greed
Omg calm down haven't they only been married for less then 3 years. They do have a great relationship but don't have the the long term experience as a couple to be advising others that's just my opinion.
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- Learner
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Re: A & J's Greed
I think they've had that "special offer" since the beginning of Next level. It must be like a super-extra-mega special offer to last like a year or so.
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- Gossiper
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Re: A & J's Greed
I have been married for almost 18 years, and we've been together for a little over 20. I still don't feel as though I should be offering marital advice to anyone especially for a fee.
Well, I take that back. Don't find the perfect person that you have in your head or written on paper. Find the person that is perfect for you. Yes, there are times when my husband gets on my nerves, but these things are not dealbreakers or enough to make me leave him or disrupt our family. As a couple, you have to figure out what it is that you are willing to live with.
And, it's obvious that no one could put up with these two but these two!
Well, I take that back. Don't find the perfect person that you have in your head or written on paper. Find the person that is perfect for you. Yes, there are times when my husband gets on my nerves, but these things are not dealbreakers or enough to make me leave him or disrupt our family. As a couple, you have to figure out what it is that you are willing to live with.
And, it's obvious that no one could put up with these two but these two!
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- Informer
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Re: A & J's Greed
the thing is… they are probably giving advice that everyone KNOWS… its just that people can sometimes be a little selfish in relationships.. which is natural sometimes. The thing about Justin and April is that they act like they are perfectly perfect in videos… like they never have hard times. Its not realistic and its NOT what people want to see. People in relationships KNOW how to have a successful relationship…. its just sometimes easy to not think about them sometimes. Respect, Helping each other out, Support in things that they do, Physical touch, words of affirmation, romantic little gifts. Its all DUH stuff….. we all know how to make our relationship better… we don't need april and justin… fake couple over hear telling us this stuff. and we also can't help the fact that justin is OVERLY in touch with his feminine side. MOST men aren't like that….. so good luck with that people.
- boo123
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Re: A & J's Greed
I agree with everything in this thread. At first I thought A+J were a sweet couple, but as time went on I noticed that they constantly avoid talking about things beyond the surface level. If you are a long-time viewer of their vlogs, they don't get into deep conversations, they don't talk about their relationship and how to work on it, etc. I could never be in a relationship like that. I need a deeper connection with someone. I have been with my BF for 8 years going on 9 years. We've lived together since the first month and it's been a long journey. What we have learned is how to communicate with each other based on each other's personalities, when and how to avoid fights, and how to deal with them when they happen. What works for us doesn't work for everyone else.
If someone asked me for advice I would give them my personal advice, but I wouldn't expect anyone to pay me for it. That's the difference w/ A+J. They think so highly of themselves when in reality they are also just normal people. They are sweet and nice, but they are so transparent and money hungry, it's sad. I get that they are both overcompensating for a lot of things, but I wish they wouldn't act so "perfect" all the time. That is not what life is about. Even celebrities don't keep up that facade because at the end of the day it hurts no one but themselves.
Listening to A+J for relationship advice is like shooting yourself in the foot - it's generic, it's not based on anything besides their own experiences (which is great if they're relying on what they've learned from their family, but not necessarily the way they interact w/ each other), it's not worth the money that they are charging, and if people watched their vlogs they could get the same advice for free by just watching their actions. It's so sad that they are purely scamming people. Also the way April handled the affiliate Amazon links is absolutely maddening because she resorts to acting like a child. Just be honest!
Whew...sorry, just had a lot to say about this apparently! Lol.
If someone asked me for advice I would give them my personal advice, but I wouldn't expect anyone to pay me for it. That's the difference w/ A+J. They think so highly of themselves when in reality they are also just normal people. They are sweet and nice, but they are so transparent and money hungry, it's sad. I get that they are both overcompensating for a lot of things, but I wish they wouldn't act so "perfect" all the time. That is not what life is about. Even celebrities don't keep up that facade because at the end of the day it hurts no one but themselves.
Listening to A+J for relationship advice is like shooting yourself in the foot - it's generic, it's not based on anything besides their own experiences (which is great if they're relying on what they've learned from their family, but not necessarily the way they interact w/ each other), it's not worth the money that they are charging, and if people watched their vlogs they could get the same advice for free by just watching their actions. It's so sad that they are purely scamming people. Also the way April handled the affiliate Amazon links is absolutely maddening because she resorts to acting like a child. Just be honest!
Whew...sorry, just had a lot to say about this apparently! Lol.
Re: A & J's Greed
It was probably 1 person who offered them $1000/hr...prob that Johnson lady who has sent them countless baby giftsTrill_Murray wrote:If you scroll down on the Next Level site it says this
"Special 40% Off Offer
We normally would set the price of this program at $49.95 per month. This is a bargain considering that we've been offeredd an upwards of $1,000 per hour in consulting by many people to help them with their relationships. Even at that rate, we can't help everyone."
]
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- Debater
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Re: A & J's Greed
I know this is trash the gurus and I agree April and Justin can be annoying and too surface level, but I find it shocking how many people who see others making money from something they are passionate about, as an "expert" in that field, and think immediately it's a scam or them being greedy. I guess me having 2 successful businesses, with plans for several more makes me greedy, not ambitious, driven and passionate. :-Oboo123 wrote:
If someone asked me for advice I would give them my personal advice, but I wouldn't expect anyone to pay me for it. That's the difference w/ A+J. They think so highly of themselves when in reality they are also just normal people. They are sweet and nice, but they are so transparent and money hungry, it's sad. I get that they are both overcompensating for a lot of things, but I wish they wouldn't act so "perfect" all the time. That is not what life is about. Even celebrities don't keep up that facade because at the end of the day it hurts no one but themselves.
One of the most highly respected internet marketers has made millions of dollars teaching people how to monetize their passions by presenting themselves as experts, just as he has done. He has plenty of money, millions, but he keeps doing it and making more. Why? Because he is driven to make a difference and to succeed time and time again.
If someone is creative, driven and passionate and finds a way to make money from their passions, that should be an admirable thing. Why are slave jobs where people work hard doing things that only serve a boss and make them miserable the only admirable thing one can do?
It's kind of like the Matrix, some of us succeed in waking up to a greater reality and create our own game (thus playing by our own rules) and others are happy being average working slaves, answering to someone else, living miserably in a mundane reality and playing other's games. If such individuals are happy and don't realize how things could be better, that is just fine. It makes it that much easier for those of us who don't have a slave mentality. The motto work smarter not harder applies to those who are successful doing what they are passionate about.
Despite how I feel about April and Justin personally, I admire that they are being intelligent and not just average coasting along on YouTube salary alone with no plan for anything bigger or greater.
Her baby voice is annoying as heck though and I do get annoyed with how she is with her cats. I LOVE cats, but I wouldn't feature my adoration of them in almost every single video, if I made YouTube vlogs that is.
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- Master Gossiper
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Re: A & J's Greed
In your opinion.starlalight wrote:Despite how I feel about April and Justin personally, I admire that they are being intelligent and not just average coasting along on YouTube salary alone with no plan for anything bigger or greater.
- boo123
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Re: A & J's Greed
Of course I applaud them for doing something different, and being business-minded, but that doesn't mean that they are going about it the right way. I never said everyone who starts a business is running a scam if they don't have certifications or the proper education. Ramit Sethi is a huge personal finance expert, who authored books, and teaches classes on how to learn personal finance all from his own personal experiences. I, for one, will start up my own law practice focusing on a specific niche that is based on my passions and my capabilities. What irks me about A+J, especially with the relationship advice business and the Saturday Sunshine line, is that they are acting like it is worth their weight in gold. Which yes I get it is marketing - but they could have done better than slap a silly logo on products that I could find at Target for much cheaper. They could also have added more value to their relationship advice business such as formal networking events or forums or whatever the case may be to add MORE VALUE for people's money. I applaud everyone who works hard for their business but it's also annoying when people seem to be more entitled to earning money just because they do the minimum work necessary. I just wouldn't trust them myself and I think they are indeed scamming people with their relationship advice, touting that it's valuable when you can just watch their vlogs for free to essentially see the same dynamic that they are trying to preach on everyone else's relationships.
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- Gossiper
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Re: A & J's Greed
It's kind of like the Matrix, some of us succeed in waking up to a greater reality and create our own game (thus playing by our own rules) and others are happy being average working slaves, answering to someone else, living miserably in a mundane reality and playing other's games. If such individuals are happy and don't realize how things could be better, that is just fine. It makes it that much easier for those of us who don't have a slave mentality. The motto work smarter not harder applies to those who are successful doing what they are passionate about.
I completely disagree with this statement about having a "slave mentality" or being an "average working slave" because you prefer to work for someone else or some company. I am a teacher and have no desire to be a principal or any other type of administrator. I feel that my calling and my passion is in teaching and being in the classroom. I feel that this is where I'm needed, and I love being in the trenches. I am not miserable. Being in a classroom with 20+ children is never mundane, and the only games that I play are educational ones with my class. I know that I could never be happy pushing paper, doing budgets, and going to pointless meetings. For me, that sounds like the worst sort of torture.
But, of course, I'm a black woman, so maybe I'm just being too sensitive to the whole slave connotation. Slaves were forced to work for zero pay and were considered property. No one is forcing anyone to work at any job if they don't want to do so.
I completely disagree with this statement about having a "slave mentality" or being an "average working slave" because you prefer to work for someone else or some company. I am a teacher and have no desire to be a principal or any other type of administrator. I feel that my calling and my passion is in teaching and being in the classroom. I feel that this is where I'm needed, and I love being in the trenches. I am not miserable. Being in a classroom with 20+ children is never mundane, and the only games that I play are educational ones with my class. I know that I could never be happy pushing paper, doing budgets, and going to pointless meetings. For me, that sounds like the worst sort of torture.
But, of course, I'm a black woman, so maybe I'm just being too sensitive to the whole slave connotation. Slaves were forced to work for zero pay and were considered property. No one is forcing anyone to work at any job if they don't want to do so.
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- Master Gossiper
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Re: A & J's Greed
[quote="lenathediva"] I am a teacher and have no desire to be a principal or any other type of administrator. I feel that my calling and my passion is in teaching and being in the classroom. I feel that this is where I'm needed, and I love being in the trenches. I am not miserable. Being in a classroom with 20+ children is never mundane, and the only games that I play are educational ones with my class.
Thank you. Educators aren't paid nor respected enough. You get down and dirty and for that I commend you.
Thank you. Educators aren't paid nor respected enough. You get down and dirty and for that I commend you.
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- Master Gossiper
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Thank you. Educators aren't paid nor respected enough. You get down and dirty and for that I commend you.lenathediva wrote:I am a teacher and have no desire to be a principal or any other type of administrator. I feel that my calling and my passion is in teaching and being in the classroom. I feel that this is where I'm needed, and I love being in the trenches. I am not miserable. Being in a classroom with 20+ children is never mundane, and the only games that I play are educational ones with my class.
Re: A & J's Greed
Well at least give all the credit to the right person, April is just the sheep when it comes to their business. And the thing is that what they managed to put together IS just a part of youtube, they aren't venturing out of anywhere with their sunshine crap. No one that doesn't know who they are will purchase their products so I wouldn't exactly congratulate them for thinking of a way to scam their viewers. Once you get a following on YouTube you can literally sell anything and the loyal fans will buy it.starlalight wrote:
I know this is trash the gurus and I agree April and Justin can be annoying and too surface level, but I find it shocking how many people who see others making money from something they are passionate about, as an "expert" in that field, and think immediately it's a scam or them being greedy. I guess me having 2 successful businesses, with plans for several more makes me greedy, not ambitious, driven and passionate.
Despite how I feel about April and Justin personally, I admire that they are being intelligent and not just average coasting along on YouTube salary alone with no plan for anything bigger or greater.
Her baby voice is annoying as heck though and I do get annoyed with how she is with her cats. I LOVE cats, but I wouldn't feature my adoration of them in almost every single video, if I made YouTube vlogs that is.
If they had created a business that would last outside of YouTube, THEN I will give them props but there's a difference between taking advantage of who looks up to you and thinking outside the box.
Re: A & J's Greed
i dont really think they're being greedy though. like apparently on this site anyone who doesn't work a minimum wage job is greedy and spoiled. anyone who sees an opportunity (like a sponsorship or a fanbase they can sell stuff too) and takes it is money hungry. i don't really think thats fair.
to me greedy is someone taking money from the poor or robbing a bank. greedy isn't opening up your store and advertising it to people who choose to watch your channel. i get that their saturday sunshine stuff isn't like handmade or anything, but i don't think people buy it because of the amazing quality. i think april and justin make a lot of people happy, so having a bag with their logo on it will brighten up someones day a little bit when they see it. its not necessarily the bag itself, its the connotation that comes with it.
as for the next level stuff, they're not forcing anyone to join. and its not like they're scamming anybody - they really do have videos and advice on the site. should they be giving people advice on how to have a happy marriage? it depends on your opinion. but that doesn't really matter, because everyone who is joining is a consenting adult who made the decision to put their money towards the company.
to me greedy is someone taking money from the poor or robbing a bank. greedy isn't opening up your store and advertising it to people who choose to watch your channel. i get that their saturday sunshine stuff isn't like handmade or anything, but i don't think people buy it because of the amazing quality. i think april and justin make a lot of people happy, so having a bag with their logo on it will brighten up someones day a little bit when they see it. its not necessarily the bag itself, its the connotation that comes with it.
as for the next level stuff, they're not forcing anyone to join. and its not like they're scamming anybody - they really do have videos and advice on the site. should they be giving people advice on how to have a happy marriage? it depends on your opinion. but that doesn't really matter, because everyone who is joining is a consenting adult who made the decision to put their money towards the company.
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Re: A & J's Greed
I agree with everything molly45 said. No one is forced to spend their money on any of the projects. Just like none of you have to view the videos and be so annoyed by them. It's your choice.
- boo123
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Re: A & J's Greed
So why is it not okay for large, public corporations to conduct unethical business practices? They have to abide by a shit ton of SEC regulations. If Target or some other big brand did something unethical like LIE (just like April and Justin and their affiliate link crap) they would most definitely catch fire by the administrative bodies as well as the public at large. They would be reprimanded publicly, boycotted by many, and also have to pay legal fees and damages. No one likes shady business people, it's the concept behind the scenes that makes it not right.
You're right that we have a choice to watch the videos or not. I like watching them because it's addicting like a trash reality show that's all fake. That said, I don't even hate them, I find them nice and amusing. I only question their ethics.
You're right that we have a choice to watch the videos or not. I like watching them because it's addicting like a trash reality show that's all fake. That said, I don't even hate them, I find them nice and amusing. I only question their ethics.