Hi and welcome to my Trades of Hope review. Are you thinking of getting into the multi-level marketing game? Would you also like to make a difference in people's lives whilst doing so?
Then you may be looking at signing up to the Trades of Hope business. Is Trades of Hope a scam or will this be a worthwhile opportunity for you? Let me show you exactly what it is all about to help you make an informed decision.
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At the end of the day, it is all about You. You know yourself the best and if everybody else is doing it, it does not mean that it's the right business for you.
There are so many ways of making money online. It becomes difficult to choose the right one. I will show you how Trades of Hope works and you will be able to either picture yourself doing it, or giving it a thumbs down.
Before we get started, you may want to take a look at the method that I have been using for the past 5 years to earn a passive income online.
NAME OF BUSINESS : Trades Of Hope
FOUNDER : Gretchen Huijskens.
PRICE TO JOIN : You have to purchase a business kit. It starts from $99 up to $198.
WHAT IS ABOUT : A multi-level marketing business focused on tempowering women. They product line features clothing, jewelry and ornaments manufactured by Artisans.
OVERALL RATING :
WHAT IS TRADES OF HOPE ALL ABOUT?
The owner and founder of Trades of Hope are two mother and daughter teams. One of them been Gretchen Huijskens.
According to the official Trades of Hope website, she was already running an orphanage and school in Haiti.
She felt that this was not enough. She believed that the solution to poverty is to empower people and offer them "sustainable business" solutions.
This is where the idea of Trades of Hope was born.
The latest figures show that the company has:
- employed 10,838 people,
- educated 11, 378 children and
- provided health aid to 11,000 people.
How exactly do they help people?
Let me show you in the next section.
HOW DOES TRADES OF HOPE WORK?
The main idea behind the company is to create an environment that is safe for women and their children.
Human trafficking is a big business. It is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labor, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others.
According to Wikipedi.org, the International Labor Organization estimated that $150 billion in annual profit is generated from forced labor alone.
That was back in 2014. In January 2019, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that "30 percent of all victims of human trafficking officially detected globally between 2016 and 2018 are children, up 3 percent from the period 2007-2010."
Many women in impoverished countries have no choice but to give up their children to orphanages as they may be unable to feed them. In many of these cases, these women are led to believe that their children will be taken off, whilst the truth is that they are fed into the sex trafficking market.
The primary initiative behind Trades of Hope is to create dignified jobs for women. In doing so, they get independent and are in turn able to take care of their families.
According to their website, Trades of Hope gives these women jobs in a safe, healthy and supportive environment, whilst also providing access to healthcare and education.
The women who work for Trades of Hope are referred to as Artisans. They have Artisans from countries all over the world such as :
- Haiti
- Uganda
- Guatemala
- India
- Philippines
- Cambodia
- Peru
- Kenya
You can join the Trade of Hope business and promote the various products made by these Artisans. 10% of the net profit that the company makes, is redistributed into the Gifts of Hope program.
How do you become a Trades of Hope Partner, and how much can you earn?
THE TRADES OF HOPE COMPENSATION PLAN-HOW TO BECOME A TRADES OF HOPE PARTNER
To earn money with Trades of Hope, you have to first sign up as a Partner or a Compassionate Entrepreneur.
As a Compassionate Entrepreneur(CE), you can earn commissions from selling the various products manufactured by the Trades of Hope Artisans.
You can earn profits by selling products either via your personal website or by hosting a 'Home Party' and displaying these products.
Just a quick note on that personal website. For the first 30-days its free, thereafter Trades of Hope will charge you a $13.95 maintenance fee.
To get started with your Trades of Hope business, you have to purchase a Compassionate Entrepreneur Business kit.
You can choose from three different options :
- CE MERIT KIT : $99
- CE MOASIC KIT : $99
- CE ALL IN KIT : $198
Now let's take a look at how you can earn money with Trades of Hope.
THE TRADES OF HOPE COMPENSATION PLAN
The Trades of Hope compensation plan is a bit complicated to grasp. Nevertheless, I will try my best to simplify it down for you.
As a Compassionate Entrepreneur(CE), you can earn a retail commission on all the personal sales that you make. These sales can come from either your website or from the Host Parties.
The Personal Retail Volume(PRV) is derived from the personal sales that you make. As you make more PRV, you earn more commissions.
For instance, you can earn :
- 2% on a $500 + PRV
- 3% on a $1000 + PRV
- 5% on a $3000 + PRV
The bigger money earning opportunities lies when you focus on the building of your downline, or as they call it your success line.
As you recruit more people into the business, you not only can earn Personal Retail Volume, but you can earn Branch Retail Volume(BRV)- based on how many 'branches' you have, Team Retail Volume(TRV)- based on everyone in your team up to the next Compassionate Entrepreneur Director, and Group Retail Volume(GRV)- everyone include Directors, and 1st and 2nd Generation Directors.
The main requirement to earn from your success line is that you have to maintain a $300 Monthly PRV.
You have the opportunity to ascend the various ranks within the company. It starts off with the Basic Compassionate Entrepreneur(CE) level all the way up to National Executive Director Compassionate(NEDCE).
There are a total of 9 different ranks within the company.
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TO SUMMARIZE: If you want to become successful within the Trades of Hope business, you need to buy products, get others to join the business. They too need to purchase the products and duplicate the process.
THE TRADES OF HOPE ARTISANS AND THEIR PRODUCTS
I have reviewed a number of multi-level marketing(MLM's) companies such as Hempworx, Arbonne, Amare Global and go Desana to name a few.
The one main difference that sets Trades of Hope apart from these companies are their product lines.
Whilst the other MLM's have products that are manufactured by the company themselves, with Trades of Hope it is manufactured by a third party called the Artisans.
The Artisans are the women employed by the company. The company does not believe in charity but rather uplifting, and empowering women by offering them dignified opportunities.
Trades of Hope pays their Artisans 100% upfront for the products they make. Usually, their earnings are 3-6 times more than the current wage of their country.
The products are then sold on their website where Compassionate Entrepreneurs and members of the public can make a purchase.
Some of these products include :
- Puppy duo ornaments
- Sincerity blankets
- Starlight sets
- Snow Beanies
- Zazu Earrings, and
- Classic hoop sets.
According to the website, the company ensures that the environment in which these women work comply with Fair Trade policies.
The company also states that if a particular product does not sell, or they need to discount, they would absorb the loss.
I think that by purchasing these products, you are not only uplifting the lives of these Artisans and their families but you get an added benefit.
That benefit is that these products are unique.
You cannot just buy them from anywhere. For instance, the pieces that are made in the Guatemala region come with the fingerprints of the Artisans.
Let's take a quick look at the pros and cons of this business opportunity.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT TRADES OF HOPE
You do not need to make monthly sales commitments to be a Compassionate Entrepreneur.
Trades of Hope are a member of the Direct Selling Organization(DSA). They are members of the Fair Trade Federation as well.
Their blogroll or news feed is regularly updated. The company does its best to keep the public informed of their latest developments.
They are addressing a real concern. Human and sex trafficking is a global issue and the company is doing its fair share to fight the problem.
WHAT I DO NOT LIKE ABOUT TRADES OF HOPE
This is not a global business opportunity. According to company policy, you can only sign up if you are a US citizen.
You must maintain a $300 Personal Retail Sales Volume per month if you want to earn commissions from your down line or success line. The problem with this is that should you not be able to meet this PRV for 6 months in a row, you will lose your success-line altogether.
There is no income disclosure statement. Prospects are unable to see what the success records are for previous members who joined the company.
You have to do a fair amount of recruiting to earn the bigger paychecks.
IS TRADES OF HOPE A SCAM? MY PERSONAL OPINION
Are Trades of Hope legit?
There is a fair amount of activity going around both in and around the company.
For instance, on YouTube, you can watch a number of videos of Trades of Hope members engaging with the Artisans.
On this same note, you will also find CE's promoting the products made by these Artisans.
I am of the opinion that Trades of Hope is not a scam.
Should you join the Trades of Hope MLM or multi-level marketing business opportunity?
If you are looking to make a difference and feel the need to impact someone's life, then I think that joining them is a good start.
At the end of the day, you would be supporting a good cause.
However, if you are thinking of making money from this business, then you need to take into account these 3 considerations.
FIRST ISSUE: Location, Location and Location
As I mentioned earlier only if you are a US citizen are you eligible to join the Trades of Hope team.
Also remember, that if you are within the US and are thinking of relocating to another country, you will have to forfeit whatever business that you have already built .
SECOND ISSUE: No Income Disclosure
This does not mean that you cannot make money with Trades of Hope. It just means that as a new member, you do not have any idea of how existing or previous members have performed.
THIRD ISSUE: Recruiting is KEY...
That is if you want to grow a solid business. This is how most MLM's are structured.The comp.plan gives one a clear indication that earning the bigger paychecks lies in the building of your down line.
If these issues do not bother you, then maybe Trades of Hope is the right business opportunity for you.
What if recruiting is not your thing?
Do not stress, it's not the end of the world.
YOU CAN MAKE MONEY ONLINE WITHOUT HAVE TO RECRUIT
I have tried the MLM-type business and I really sucked at it. Recruiting is not my thing, and whilst for other people they enjoyed it, I cringed at having to go to seminars or having 'host parties.'
I prefer making money through a business model called affiliate marketing.
The benefit to starting an affiliate marketing business, is that you do not need any experience to start, and you do not need to recruit anyone to earn money.
Take a look at the other benefits you can enjoy from starting your own affiliate marketing business.
Benefits of Affiliate Marketing :
- You DO NOT need any experience to get started
- You can WORK FROM ANYWHERE in the world
- You DO NOT have to speak to anyone
- You DO NOT have to have your own product
- You DO NOT have to do any recruiting or cold calling
I think the most important benefit, is that it allows you the opportunity to build a passive income business. In other words, you can and will get to the point of not having to trade your precious time for money.
By this I mean have your business to eventually work for you.
Thanks for joining me on this Trades of Hope review.
I hope that it has helped you out.
If you have any questions or comments, just leave them below. i promise to get back to you.
Regards and Take Care
Roopesh
Trades of hope is a Multi Level Marketing business that is solely based on female clientele. A friend of mine had once referred me to check it out but I wasn’t motivated enough by what I saw on their platform. Sure, the business is real, so also are the products. However, the compensation plan is only enough to support someone with little source of income. I am making a good amount of money being an affiliate marketer and I couldn’t compromise my business by diverting my precious time to working on a multi level marketing business.
That is awesome to hear. Glad to see that affiliate marketing is working out for you.
Regards
Roopesh
The name of the platform is very very catchy to say the least. I was very very drawn to it when I first saw it but didn’t know there was note to it tgan just helping people. I am a bit disappointed though to see that it is an MLM show here that sells stuff because many people will agree that MLM is not a very very profitable business model. I like the motive behind what they do though. It is very nice. Great work!
Thanks so much for your kind words.
Really appreciate it.
Regards
Roopesh
This is quite a business idea and I have great distaste for human trafficking and most especially of women and kids. While reading through this post, I didn’t quite get it right, if the money gotten from this business is used to look after women an children which makes it a form of NGO. If its not, then getting into a business and having to recruit others into it isn’t something I want to do .
Hi Roopesh. Thanks for sharing Trades of Hope review. I must say that you did a very good job with this review. It’s very comprehensive and well detailed. Anyone can make a well informed decision from it which I believe is the purpose why you wrote this post.
Trades of Hope is really cool. I love their mission. Anyways it’s not the business model I intend involving myself in, moreover, my country is not even supported.
Thanks so much for your kind words. Really appreciate it.
Glad that this review helped you out in making a decision.
I wish you everything of the best.
Regards
Roopesh
Hi Roopesh, I must say as I was reading this article and what they were all about I prayed it wasn’t a scam. It is simply a great cause whether it’s for everybody is a personal decision. What I do know is that I highly recommend the option of Wealthy Affiliate I have been a member for a number of years and it is truly amazing. I love it!
Hi Roopesh, thank you for your review about the MLM Trades of hope. In fact, I am running away from MLM because I tried this business model before to try to make money , but it did not work for me. Some people are really good at that, chasing customers and recruiting members. I prefer online marketing and work from home on my own pace. To be honest it is tempting to join Trades of hope , because of the good cause and the uniqueness of the product.
I will share your website with friends who might be interested , as it helps empowering women.
I appreciate your sharing my article.
Thanks so very much.
All the best.
Roopesh
Nice review! 🙂
I too just as you are love some stuffs about trades of hope. MLM it is, involves recruiting! Income made by previous and existing members not revealed. How can one know of earnings figures to expect if he joins?
Affiliate marketing is still my number one way to make money online; anyone can get started and succeed if he is determined, hardworking and consistent.
Thanks
Dear Roopesh,
It really hurts whenever I read and hear about Human Trafficking and I do appreciate Trades of Hope for taking the initiative and helping women.
Thanks for the informative and detailed review. However, there are some red flags, mainly the MLM business model is a bit concern to me because of the low success rate of MLM business model. Also, with MLM business model we know people who joined early or who are on the top of the ladder makes the reasonable money and people on the bottom struggles.
I loved how easy the review makes it for readers and no additional research needed. You left no stone up-turned in explaining how it all works.
May I ask…
$13.95 website maintenance fee is that monthly or yearly?
Hey Paul
The fee is a monthly expense.
Thanks so much for your kind words.
I really appreciate it.
Regards
Roopesh
Thank you Roopesh for this eye-opening review on is Trades of Hope a scam or is it legit. I heard someone the other day mention Trades of Hope when I complimented them on a cute little item they had. She mentioned that she was making money selling these cute items and mentioned the name Trades of Hope.
I will say that I really like the concept behind this MLM of empowering women in impoverished countries to have a sense of purpose that will help them to better their lives. However being that this is an MLM I am always a bit skeptical. The reasons you state for not liking this MLM, I agree with too. But it does sound like a possible good MLM too.
Two of the reasons I am skeptical of most MLMs other than their sometimes scammy red flags, are their complicated compensation plans and that in order to make more money recruiting people is almost always necessary. You mention that people can sell these products on their own websites. Are these websites provided by Trades of Hope or could I use my own website?
That is some interesting insight into MLM’s that you have shared. Thanks for that.
As for the website, it is a site that is provided by the company.
Kind Regards and Take Care
Roopesh
This appears to be, a really great organisation,doing a really worthwhile job, of elevating women and their children,and getting them out of the dangers, of human trafficking,and sex slavery.
These women make,kits of unique items,including puppy duo ornaments,sincerity blankets,Zazu earrings,and snow beanies,which are sold, on the Trades of hope website,where the public,and Compassionate Entrepreneurs, can buy them,to provide an income for the families.
You can get involved, by signing up as a partner,or as a Compassionate Entrepreneur,and sell the products, via your own website, or by hosting Home parties,where you can display, and sell these unique items.
The problem, is that only United States citizens,may sign up for this business opportunity,and if you want to make the higher commissions,you need to recruit a lot of other members.