You’ve probably heard about multi-level marketing (MLM) businesses and wondered if they’re legitimate.
Experior Financial Group is a company set up as an MLM and is one of the fastest-growing brokerages in all of Canada.
I’ve researched the company and want to give you an insight into how it works. You’ll learn how associates make money and why the company isn’t always seen in the best light.
Because of its MLM method of acquiring clients, the company is often pegged as a scam. So why and how is it growing so fast, with over 1,500 employees? I had to find out so I did some digging.
Multi-Level Marketing
Experior provides insurance and investment options to its clients. They have a multi-level marketing business style that means recruiting associates and customers, which doesn’t always appeal to the public.
- The company’s main focus is on training, making it easy to learn and grow.
- Potential for a solid income.
- Good buyout package potential
- It’s not a guaranteed source of income.
- The MLM style of the company often puts pressure on you to continually recruit new customers and associates.
- It might not be a sustainable source of income for the long haul.
- MLM-type businesses don’t always have great reputations.
What Is Experior Financial Group?
Founded in 2014, Experior Financial Group is a tribrid managing general agent (MGA) that assists clients with their insurance and investing needs.
There are over 1,500 well-trained staff members with years of experience in the financial sector. The company is headquartered in Canada but recently expanded to the United States and is one of the fastest-growing MGAs around.
Experior wants their clients to become financially independent, but they also want their employees to succeed.
The company takes great strides to recruit its employees and provide continuous resources and training to enhance its professional growth.
Is Experior Financial Group a Scam?
Experior is, in fact, a real company. They sell real products – investment services and insurance. However, the company does follow a multi-level marketing method (MLM), which can turn people off. It’s also the reason it’s sometimes considered a pyramid scheme.
In a pyramid scheme, participants try and recruit new members into the program but don’t really have an actual product to sell. It is fraudulent and illegal.
On the other hand, MLM companies and salespeople make money when selling the product and actively recruiting others to join. When any of these recruits or “downlines” make a sale, the original salesperson gets a cut.
This type of marketing is often controversial, but it is not illegal. While it can be profitable in the short term, it often isn’t sustainable for the long haul.
How Experior Financial Claims To Be Different
The public is usually wary of MLM companies, but Experior continues to see growth in its business areas.
The company recently released its 2021 numbers and saw impressive increases in each of its sectors – investments, insurance, and travel. They’ve also set a goal of attracting 3,000 new licensed agents in 2022.
So what makes them different from other MLM companies? How can they continually attract new business and recruits when the whole company setup is largely controversial.
According to the company’s CEO, Jamie Prickett, Experior Financial allows its members to own their own book of business.
Experior has a buyout plan for when a member is looking to sell. They offer 75% of all the residuals coming into the business for a guaranteed ten-year period.
The other benefit to the company is its expansion into the United States. In one of his YouTube videos explaining key differences between Experior and other companies, Prickett acknowledged that once an associate reaches Executive Director status, they’ll receive shares within the company.
He claims that Experior is one of the fastest-growing MGAs in all of Canada, and owning a piece of the company will only be financially beneficial to its members.
So while Experior seems to be moving in a positive direction, will it stay that way? Is it seeing a growth increase because it’s a newer company and not riddled with negative connotations like other more established MLMs?
Only time will tell, but considering its setup like other pyramid selling companies, I’m not very hopeful.
How Much Money Can You Earn At Experior
You earn money at Experior through commissions on products you sell or associates you recruit that buy or sell additional products.
Prickett outlined a first-year associate’s commission in a recent YouTube video.
In his example, he used 50% as the industry norm. So, if an associate sells a $1,000 insurance policy, they’re able to collect 50% of that premium as their commission, so they’d get $500. He goes on to mention that you’d also earn additional bonuses.
The downfall that he glosses over quite quickly is that all new sales associates will work with more seasoned senior associates or managers. Those managers earn a percentage of whatever their new associates make.
The amount of the commission is based on which carrier you sell products through – it can be anywhere from 30% to 60% of the premium paid. This is pretty typical of most MLM type of financial service providers such as World Financial Group or Primerica.
When I first started out as a life insurance broker, I had an 80% contract level to start, and it increased to 140% near the end of my time as a broker, which was in less than two years. This is much higher than what is available to most MLM type of companies like Experior, and what I would recommend you seek out for yourself.
Should You Become An Experior Associate?
In the example above, it seems pretty simple to make $500. But I find it very difficult to make a sustainable living working with companies that have this type of business model. It’s possible to have success, but it doesn’t seem like the longevity is there.
Consider all the downsides of the business as well. You’ll have to constantly recruit new associates – everything from family and friends to new clients. If you want to make money, you often need to recruit, and your commission structure is not the greatest.
In addition, these types of MLM companies don’t always have the best reputation. Salespeople are often seen as pushy and aggressive, especially if you aren’t interested in their products.
Just a simple internet search for reviews about the company will show that many are unhappy with its services.
The usual comments focused on associates being more interested in recruiting you than learning about your circumstances or what financial services you actually need.
It’s easy to diminish the company and say it doesn’t work, but there are plenty of testimonials on Experior’s website that say differently.
There are people happily working at Experior that find its setup nothing but beneficial to them.
Alternatives To Experior
Build A Skill
I strongly suspect that most people who join Experior aren’t that passionate about investing and insurance, and certainly not sales. Instead, they’re just looking for a way to make some money on the side or at home.
If that’s the case for you, why not build a tangible skill instead? You can learn something like how to code, become a virtual assistant, or proofreader. The possibilities are endless. Check out lists like these for ideas:
Employee
There are plenty of reputable investment brokerages, including banks and other private companies. As for insurance, there are often companies with much higher commission payouts than Experior offers.
Instead of working at Experior, you can get licensed on your own to sell investment and insurance products, and start working for an insurance or investment brokerage.
I mentioned before that I worked for an insurance broker in Canada that had way higher commission payouts than Experior has. You won’t have to worry about the bad reputation that MLM’s seems to have among some consumers. You will also get trained up at these brokerages.
Customer
As a consumer, there are countless other options for you other than Experior:
For Investors
If you need a little bit of advice, you can look at my top picks for the best robo-advisors in Canada.
If you’d like to become a do-it-yourself (DIY) investor, sign up for an online broker and learn how to invest on your own. Here are my top picks on the best trading platforms in Canada.
For Insurance
For Canadian life insurance, I would recommend checking out PolicyMe. They’ve recently created their own products and offer them at very competitive rates. Check out PolicyMe’s website for some free quotes.
Finding an Advisor
If you must use an advisor, try to find a fee-based advisor that is not incentivized to push you towards a certain product. They can help you with both investments and insurance. Do a search for a “fee-based financial advisor” in your area. Try to find one with a Certified Financial Planning (CFP) designation.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to get sucked into the allure surrounding a company like Experior. It seems simple to make money and help people in the process.
I’ll admit that Experior doesn’t seem as bad as some other MLM companies. However, I’m skeptical of MLMs as a whole and don’t think Experior is that much different.
While it’s certainly possible to be successful while working for the company, it’s not something I’d choose for myself or recommend.
Instead, there are many other reputable financial and insurance companies to work for or invest with.
If you want to learn more about investing or insurance, check out my beginner’s tips and best life insurance companies review.
