Thanks for stopping by to check out my Kyani review. If you've read some of my other reviews, you'll know I'm not a fan of multi-level-marketing. When you add health supplements into the mix, Kyani becomes a recipe for dishonest marketing and false claims.
That doesn't mean they're being dishonest or that Kyani is a scam. It's just the combination of an MLM with health supplements opens the door for individual distributors to stretch the truth.
In this Kyani review I'll talk about who they are, how they work and whether or not they're a pyramid scheme. I'll also cover their compensation plan, dream car program and of course, discuss some complaints.
Disclaimer:Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for Kyani (or the Kyani business opportunity). This review has been researched with information and/or testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any recommendations and/or conclusions are strictly opinions and may not apply to, or agree with, all persons or situations. See full disclaimer for more info
What is Kyani?
Kyani is a direct sales company that specializes in health and wellness supplements. The company was founded by 3 Americans; Kirk Hansen, Carl Taylor and Dick Powell in 2005.
As a business opportunity, Kyani offers distributor packages so you can sell their products and with an MLM business model, you can also invite others to join your distributorship or organization.
I'll get more into the MLM aspects of Kyani in moment but first, a quick overview of the Kyani line of products.
The 3 main products Kyani sells are marketed together as the triangle of health
These include Kyani Sunrise, with the premium ingredient being the Alaskan blueberry. Due to it’s survival in harsh environments the claim is that this particular blueberry is 5 times as potent as regular blueberries.
The next product in the triangle of health is Kyani Sunset. This is a gel capsule with its main ingredient derived from Alaskan salmon.
Finally, Kyani sells the Nitro family of supplements that are aimed at boosting nitric oxide levels in the body.
While the products may or may not do as they claim (a topic well beyond the scope of this article), the real growth and profits in Kyani come from a network of distributors, each with the goal of becoming financially independent by recruiting their own network of distributors.
So yes, if you were wondering, Kyani is an MLM… or multi-level marketing business.
Is Kyani a Pyramid Scheme?
I'm not one to dance around the pyramid scheme question. if there is an “upline”, a “downline”… and if the structure resembles a pyramid as it does in all MLM's (to some degree), then it's a pyramid.
If your compensation is dependent on the number of people you recruit (and the number of people they recruit)… in my opinion, it's a pyramid.
In the 90's I spent a couple years building an MLM business and I would defend the pyramid scheme question (just as my “upline” taught me) by saying traditional companies are pyramids too.
While that's true, I neglected to recognize the most important fact. In a traditional company or “pyramid”, the vast majority of people (if not all) are making money.
In a multi-level-marketing “pyramid”, the vast majority are losing money.
That's an important distinction. And after expenses, I was losing money too.
I was also recruiting people with the ultimate goal of having them recruit people, and so on. Product sales played a very small role in my business because the focus, and the big money, was all about building a “downline” of distributors…
… which spreads out like a pyramid.
This difference between selling a product and selling an opportunity can put multi-level-marketing companies in a precarious position…
Now to be clear, that doesn't mean Kyani is an illegal pyramid.
Wikipedia defines a pyramid scheme as “a business model that recruits members via a promise of payments or services for enrolling others into the scheme, rather than supplying investments or sale of products”.
So, generally speaking… the main difference between an illegal pyramid scheme and multi-level-marketing is (as the video above explains), in one… the primary purpose is to generate income through the sale of products and in the other…
… the primary purpose is to recruit new members.
Some multi-level schemes pretend to be legit by coming up with a product to sell, but the only way you can buy the product is by joining the pyramid.
Or, even better… the “product” is simply a training program that teaches you how to sell more training programs and get more people to join the pyramid so they can sell more training programs…
That's not the case here… You don't have to sign-up for the Kyani business opportunity to buy Kyani products.
More importantly, Kyani products are real products and have nothing to do with the business opportunity.
A lot of people might not like MLM's (and I'm not a fan either) but when done properly, they can be a legitimate business model. But, despite fighting to improve their reputation over the years, the distributor success rates for these kinds of businesses remains low.
Legally speaking though… just because they use a pyramid “structure” does not mean companies like Kyani and other MLM's are scams. Individual distributors who make false promises might be pulling a scam, but the companies themselves (if they follow the law) are not.
How Does Kyani Work?
The Kyani opportunity works like most MLM's and network marketing companies. You can earn money in three primary ways.
- Direct Sales
- Downline Commissions
- Various Bonuses
While direct sales can provide some steady income, the real money is in building your team of distributors and earning commissions and bonuses from their sales, which I'll cover in Kyani's compensation plan below.
What it means though, is doing what most people don't like doing. Recruiting…
Recruiting is both the power and the problem of multi-level-marketing. If you're good at it, you will multiply your efforts and earnings. If you're not good at it, your Kyani business will probably cause you frustration.
That's because the other product being sold in multi-level-marketing is lifestyle – the dream of earning hundreds of thousands of dollars while also being free to live the life you want.
I get it. I had that dream too. I also had that dream crushed like 99% of all people who try to build an MLM business.
That lifestyle of freedom and independence depends on your ability to recruit people, and your recruit's ability to recruit people and so on…
This sets the stage for frustration.
To be clear, I'm not saying Kyani won't work. I'm also not saying you won't earn money with Kyani because some people will. Some might even be wildly successful.
But statistically speaking, most won't…
In fact, statistically speaking… when you consider your expenses, you'll make more money doing online surveys. Sites like Survey Junkie and Inbox Dollars may not pay ton of money, but they're simple, you can do them from home, and they're free to join.
Am I recommending online surveys instead of multi-level-marketing. No, not for everyone.
If you enjoy sales and don't mind recruiting, your earning potential with Kyani is obviously much higher.
And of course, doing online surveys doesn't mean you can't also do Kyani.
If person-to-person sales is not your thing though and you still want more freedom in your life, an online business is also a good option.
You may need to work from home because of a medical issue, kids to take care of, or a difficult job market.
An online business that generates monthly income may be what you want and in that case, knowing how (and where) to get started is what you need in order to get what you want.
Now, I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by Clicking Here
Kyani Compensation Plan
Kyani's compensation plan is quite complex.
When you recruit or sponsor someone into your Kyani business, you have the unique ability to place them anywhere in your organization.
By default they'll be placed directly under you. But you can also place them underneath another person in your organization.
This creates two trees or genealogies and the terminology Kyani uses for each is your ‘Sponsor Tree' and your ‘Placement Tree'… the first representing your direct sponsors and the second representing sponsors you placed at various points in your organization.
There are a handful of reasons you might want to place a new recruit underneath another team member…
- Team synergy (your new recruit might work well with someone else in your team)
- Geographical considerations (it makes sense to put teams together where they can support each other personally)
- Personal relationship considerations
- Structural considerations and profitability (you may be balancing your organization out with more width or more depth in a particular leg)
- Encouragement and motivation (placing a new recruit underneath a struggling team member can boost their confidence)
The way you structure your organization can determine your rank and bonuses.
Qualifying Volume
It goes without saying the goal is to build your organization as big as possible, but you and your team members still need to sell products.
This is where your qualifying volume (QV) comes in.
You have your personal QV to maintain which is always 150 whether you're a newly qualified distributor or a Double Black Diamond (see compensation plan chart below).
Then you have your group QV which is based on your team's sales. As rank “Garnet” your group QV must be at least 1000… all the way to 25,000,000 group QV for Double Black Diamond.
Further details of Kyani's compensation plan are explained in this chart…
Kyani Dream Car Program
Kyani's compensation plan is filled with various bonuses that include money, trips and even a dream car.
When you reach the Sapphire rank or higher, you qualify for their ‘Dream Car' program.
The program is structured to provide you with the down payment on a new car and then cover your monthly payments as long as you qualify.
The amount they give you to put down on the car and your monthly payments is determined by your rank. You can learn more about the The Dream Car Program here.
How Much Does Kyani Cost?
As far as MLM’s go, if you’re familiar with other network marketing businesses such as Amway, Avon or Herbalife, you will be familiar with Kyani. There is nothing new or unique here (as far as the business opportunity goes).
To begin with you need to purchase a Business Builder Pack. There are two options…
- Regular Business Builder Pack for $499
- Premium Pack for $999.
What you get in the regular pack is 1 each of,
- Kyani Sunrise 30 oz bottle
- Kyani Sunset (Packets) 30ct
- Kyani Sunset gel caps 90ct
- Nitro FX 56ml
- Nitro FX (8 pack) 15ml
- Nitro Xtreme (8 pack) 15ml
- 5 trial packs, various brochures, 1-year access to their webtools and finally a registration kit.
The Premium Builder Pack for $999 doubles up on the products with the addition of 2 – 56ml bottles of Nitro Xtreme and 15 trial packs (instead of 5).
From that point, it’s all about selling products and recommending the opportunity to others.
Is Kyani A Scam?
If you've read this far, hopefully it's clear that Kyani is a real business. But for clarity (and those just skimming for additional information), Kyani is not a scam.
It’s a legitimate opportunity with the potential to earn a significant income, provided you have the appropriate skill-set and personality type.
It also doesn't hurt to have a network of family, friends and/or associates through an organization, business, church etc. that will help you get started.
I know there are those who consider MLM's to be a scams or as discussed above, a pyramid scheme and it's true, many push ethical boundaries.
For example, incentives such as prizes, retreats, trips and cars are nice, but in my opinion they are there as a way to dangle a spectacular lifestyle in front of many who probably don't have a chance at achieving them.
Of course, this isn't unique to MLM's. The make-money-online industry is bad for this as well and I can't count how many times I've seen someone sign up for a program and expect their dream lifestyle withing weeks.
When it comes to MLM’s, they typically present their top 6-figure and 7-figure earners to the majority who are not making money as “inspiration”.
But just talking about their financial success is not enough and MLM superstars are not about to show off their bank statements.
What they need is something tangible to show off. Billboard sized checks, stories accompanied with slides and video of exotic trips, luxury cars…
All of these incentives really drive the point home; to say you can have this lifestyle too.
But getting that lifestyle for yourself is not so easy. Succeeding in this type of business requires a unique set of circumstances, which I'll get into in a moment.
For the record, while companies like this go through great lengths to motivate their organizations, I do believe there are many genuine people here that do it because they sincerely want to help you.
They want you to succeed and achieve your dream life.
So in no way am I suggesting Kyani is trying to deceive you. What I'm saying is that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Multi-level-marketing is not for everyone.
Everyone can't be an Olympic athlete or an A-list actor either. Likewise… not everyone can become a successful network marketer.
Kyani Reviews and Complaints
A big problem with MLM's (from a corporate point of view), is that you can't always control what your distributors say and do. From false product claims to misleading statements regarding income potential, Kyani has had many complaints.
Some of the accusations and challenges Kyani has had to deal with are,
- Kyani supplements can replace medicine and be used to fight against heart disease, cancer and even autism.
- Excessive income claims without appropriate legal disclosures.
- Profits are driven by recruitment efforts rather than the sale of products.
- The name “Kyani” (which is claimed to mean “strong medicine” in the indigenous Alaskan Tlingit language) which sounds good as a company, is not related to strong medicine and is at best a loose translation.
In response to these issues (and to their credit), Kyani has both made changes to their marketing and taken action against distributors they have found to be stretching the truth in the hope of improving their sales and recruitment numbers.
Is Kyani For You?
MLM's are a tough game.
In my experience, those who have reached the top are generally more charismatic than the average person. They're talkers. Not necessarily used-car salesmen… but they have a way with people, and they are usually good at public speaking.
They may not have started out that way, but to reach the highest levels and motivate their down-line organizations, they had to learn. They're usually comfortable in front of a camera as well, or at least they appear to be.
In other words, if you're not the type of person who likes talking to others, presenting to groups (large and small), and being in the spotlight; then building an MLM business is probably going to be difficult. Not impossible, but those who don't like selling (and recruiting others) are at a big disadvantage.
There is no question that people make money with MLM’s.
But like it or not, success in network marketing is for a specific type of person with a unique set of skills, an uncommon personality and the ability to deal with a ton of rejection.
The exception to having a unique set of skills is having a unique set of circumstances.
For example; one successful network marketer I know of (in the weight loss niche) owns a martial arts club. This has not only given her access to a network of people, it has also allowed her to build her business during work hours.
These are significant advantages most people don't have.
If you don’t like selling, or you’re not the kind of person who likes talking to people over and over about the same thing, then it's possible that multi-level-marketing is not for you.
The simple reality is that recruiting and selling products is all about sales and dealing with a signficant amount of rejection.
So, the only person who knows whether Kyani is for you… is YOU.
If MLM's are not your thing, starting an online business might be a better choice. It doesn't require a sales personality and your family and friends won't have to worry about being sold to or recruited.
What I Like About Kyani
- There is a genuine community as well as a system of help and support.
- Kyani is a well-established company, and you won’t have to worry about them disappearing overnight.
- For the right person, Kyani offers real potential to make money and build an independent lifestyle.
What I Don’t Like About Kyani
The things I don’t like about Kyani are really just the things that I don’t like about all MLM’s in general. That doesn't mean they are bad… these are just my opinions based on my own experience being a network marketer.
Just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it's not for you. I encourage others to make up their mind based on their own knowledge and experience.
Having said that, the things I don’t like are,
- Product price – MLM products are typically overpriced because profits are shared and dispersed to multiple people in your upline/downline. Multi-level marketing companies often claim they have a price advantage because their products are concentrated and avoid traditional channels of distribution and marketing. However, in my experience, products bought through direct marketing companies usually cost more than similar products found in stores.
- You’re building a career with one product supplier that you have no control over. If Kyani decides to increase their price dramatically or change the product formula to cut productions costs… you can’t just switch to a new supplier with a similar product. The organization and business you have built ultimately belongs to the network marketing company, in this case, Kyani.
- Propaganda. Again, this is not a specific issue with Kyani (but rather MLM’s in general). The business model benefits people who prey on other's insecurities and desires by pumping them up with brochures, videos, live events and audio they can plug into their ears for hours a day.
How many successful network marketers have you met that are not charismatic in some way, energetic and have a strong tolerance for rejection?
Where Do You Go From Here?
Years ago (like thousands of others), I struggled in my network marketing business, so I'm biased against them. I feel that many (but not all) involved, build up people's hopes and dreams (inadvertently or not) knowing their chances of success are slim due to factors they have very little control over.
As I stated above… that doesn’t mean they're bad or that Kyani won’t work for you.
If you’re determined to build an MLM business, Kyani is worth looking into. I’d also recommend trying their products if you haven't already to see if they work for you, and whether you can get behind them and sell them confidently.
Either way, you many options if making money from is what you're trying to do.
Although they don't pay a lot, online surveys are be a simple way to get started online. Sites like Survey Junkie and Inbox Dollars are free to join and dont' require any commitment.
If you're more of an introvert or home-body like I am, an online business might be a good option.
A full-time income from home may be important to you because you've got young ones to look after or a health issue that makes working difficult.
Maybe you're just sick and tired of trading hours for dollars and working for someone else.
If that's the case, an online business is what you want, but there are so many fake promises and misleading claims out there that knowing how (and where) to get started is what you need in order to get what you want.
Now, I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by Clicking Here
I hope my Kyani review has been helpful and if you have any comments, questions or experience with Kyani, please share in the comments section below.
I want Product that will give me energy and take away my high blood pressure is there anyway to contact to talk over the phone to ask what product I need
I am not an enthsiast of this MLM business model. I had the experience of this MLM strategy years ago from different companies. Unfortunately, I didn’t prosper because I am an introvert type. Anyhow, thank you so much for your Kyani Review. You explained them very well without being biased at all. You stated the good and its bad points. More power!
Thank you so much for all the information it is really good to know more about the company.
Thank you. I had no idea about this company and you helped me to understand it more.
Hi Tammy, thanks for reading and glad to help 🙂
Jay