Welcome to my Java Momma Review!
As you might know, multi-level marketing (MLM) is a strategy where the revenue from the sales of products is solely derived from a workforce that is not paid a conventional salary selling the products/services of the company. The earnings are derived from a what is called a binary commission system. There are many niches in the MLM industry, including health and fitness, cannabinoid oil and jewelry to mention just a few. One of the increasingly popular niches is the coffee niche. Coffee is a widely consumed product, which is why many MLM companies have jumped on the bandwagon. Here is an honest look at Java Momma, one of the coffee-oriented MLMs, to determine what it is all about and whether it is a good investment of your time and money.
WHAT IS JAVA MOMMA?
Java Momma is an MLM company that focuses on selling organic coffee as well as tea and cocoa. It was founded by Brian and Melissa Bishop on September 2017. They came up with the basic concept of the company on their kitchen table one night. From the very beginning, they intended that Java Momma would focus on customer relationships.
The company distributes and sells its line of products through an MLM network that is referred to as “barista” and operates throughout the US.
WHAT PRODUCTS ARE OFFERED BY THE COMPANY?
Java Momma offers a range of products:
- Coffee
- Blueberry crème – $8.99
- Victorian caramel – $8.99
- Coffee couture – $12.99
- Chocolate caramel kisses – $8.99
- Mexican medium roast – $12.99
- Tea
- The peachy keen ginger – $6.99
- Blooming tea set of 5 with tea hottle – $16.99
- Owl tea leaf infuser – $7.99
- Java Momma variety bag (large) – $45
- Rooibos vanilla chai – $6.99
- Cocoa
- Mo café Mexican spiced ground chocolate – $13.99
- Chocolate truffle hot cocoa – $2.50
- Chocolate cherry cocoa – $2.50
- Salted caramel hot cocoa – $2.50
How much does it cost to become part of the business opportunity?
There are 3 kits to choose from if you intend to become a barista:
- Influencer kit
This kit is specifically targeted to those that are getting started as baristas. The kit consists of 20 sample bags of coffee, 1 barista workbook, 10 opportunity catalogs, a free replicate website, and free shipping. It costs $65.
- Build your own adventure
There are two options if you select this kit:
Level One
This level includes 4 sample bags of coffee, a free replicated website, and free shipping.
Level Two
Add on items in this level include:
-
- A maximum of 10 sample bags of coffee – $2.50/each
- Up to 2 teas – $5/each
- Add on business supplies – $2 to $20
- Up to 3 half lbs. of coffee – $6.50/each
- Branded java Momma mug – $15
- The tea Momma
This kit comes with three different infusers, a variety of green, tisane, and black teas (eight 2oz packages in total), a barrister workbook and forms, and a replicated website.
THE COMPENSATION PLAN
To join the Java Momma business opportunity, you will need a sponsor. You can search for one of their distributors online, then simply register via their website. Alternatively, you can reach out to the Java Momma team to request a local distributor.
To become a Java Momma distributor, you are required to buy one of the aforementioned barista kits as you sign up. However, simply buying a barista kit does not make you eligible to earn commissions – you have to become an active and qualified distributor.
The Java Momma compensation plan is simplified, comprising of a three-tiered structure. In such a business structure, the people that you recruit will form the first tier, the people that are recruited by those that you brought in are the second tier, and the recruits of this second group form the third tier. There seem to be no significant bonuses for the sales that are made or for growing your downline.
- Ranks
Java Momma is made up of 4 ranks:
- Barista
A barista receives 20% on the direct retail commissionable products. Direct retail sales are simply the sales that are made for or by customers to customers directly via the barista’s independent replicated website. As a barista, if you make a wholesale purchase from your wholesale website, you will receive a 20% discount on the retail price of the product instead of the 20% commission.
Prospective customers of a barista can subscribe to the commissionable products on the barista’s website. Upon doing so, customers will be eligible for a 10% discount on all their subscriptions. Baristas will also receive a 10% commission on the discounted subscription price.
- Java gourmet
To attain this rank, a barista is required to have at least five team members of the first-generation (members that you directly recruit), a minimum of $50 in personal volume (PV) coming in from their replicated website (PV is the total retail price of commission products sold by a barista), and a minimum of $500 in sales for their team members. Bonuses are only paid on the first-generation sales for this rank.
- Java leader
To attain this rank, a barista is required to have at least 20 team members on their first or second-generation, one java gourmet on their first line, a minimum of $200 in personal sales volume on your replicated rank, and a minimum of $1,500 in sales for their team members. Bonuses are exclusively paid on the first and second-generation sales for this rank.
- Roaster
For this rank, a barista is required to accumulate at least 50 first, second, and third-generation team members, have a minimum of $300 in personal sales volume on their replicated website, and a minimum of $3,000 in sales for their team members. Bonuses will be exclusively paid to the first, second, and third-generation sales for this rank.
Percentages under the leadership bonus plan are not stacked. For instance, a roaster is eligible for only 5% on first-line sales, 3% on second-line sales, and 1% on third-line sales. On the other hand, a java leader is expected to receive 5% on first-line sales, 3% on second-line sales. Java leaders don’t receive a bonus for third-line sales. Similarly, a java gourmet is eligible for a 5% bonus only for the first-line sales but does not receive a bonus on the second and third-line sales.
- Inactivity
For a barista to be categorized as “active”, he/she is expected to make one sale or personal purchase every three months. As long as you are active and you agree to the terms of agreement specified by the company, Java Momma will pay the commission and bonus levels that you achieve. However, if a barista fails to renew his/her agreement or cancel as a result of inactivity, he/she does not have the right to claim the bonuses from the sales that have been generated by their downline. Additionally, they will no longer hold the barista title.
A banned barista is also limited from buying Java Momma products at a wholesale price and use their replicated website. That said, it is worth noting that the former barrister will still be eligible for their last bonus that they earned for the last full pay period that they were active. Baristas are considered inactive after three months of lack of sales or purchases. After six months of being inactive, your account will be terminated.
PROS
- The starter packs are reasonably priced
The most expensive starter kit that you can buy will cost you $65 which in my opinion is reasonable. Many MLMs tend to have expensive starter packs that they expect customers to buy. In such scenarios, it is not uncommon to end up spending more than what you earn.
- Simple compensation plan
The compensation plan is short and straight to the point, which is a nice change of pace from MLMs that have complicated compensation plans that do not specify how you are expected to earn money.
- The products seem to be of good quality
The products sold by Java Momma are of considerable quality. This could potentially make it easier for you to sell them to clients as most people are keen on products that they buy, including coffee.
CONS
- The company is relatively new to the MLM scene
As previously mentioned, Java Momma was founded in 2017. This means that they are yet to make any significant waves in the MLM space, and they still have significant steps to take in the way that they present their products and themselves. You will often find that MLM companies that are new to the market tend to cave in and go out of business within a short period. Subsequently, this leaves the distributor/baristas that rely on the company to take care of themselves. In addition to this, there is also competition from more established companies to consider. Customers are also likely to avoid buying products from companies that are yet to make a name for themselves, so you might not have an easy time achieving the qualifications you need to earn bonuses.
- There is not much information provided about the company
The company’s website hardly gives any information. For example, the “About us” page only briefly introduces the owners, but there is no further information concerning who else works at the company. The product section of the website also fails to go into detail on how the products are made and packaged. Such information is important because it shows transparency, something that relatively new MLM companies especially need.
- Recruitment is an integral part of earning
Because of the MLM business model of Java Momma, you have no choice but to recruit new baristas so that you can build your downline and rise in ranks. Unless you have family and friends who are willing to work as baristas as well as recruit other baristas to do the same, recruitment is not an ideal way of earning an online income. To have some degree of success in terms of recruitment, you will need some level of online marketing skills and a platform where you can source traffic and attempt to get interested parties to become part of Java Momma. This will inevitably take a lot of your time and effort.
- There is no income disclosure
Java Momma has not made the effort to release income disclosure statements to show the earnings of baristas. Although this may not be a big deal for some, it shows a lack of reliability when it comes to how successful distributors that work with the company truly are. It would have been nice and reassuring to be able to view the income figures of the baristas and other distributors who have attained higher ranks to determine the range of commission rates.
- Low earning potential
The rewards that are offered by Java Momma as not as lucrative as what you will often see with other MLMs. The compensation plan that they provide is much smaller than what most MLM companies have, only allowing you to receive commissions from three generations. The bonuses are also few and far between, so there is not a lot you can rely on for earnings.
VERDICT
Although Java Momma is a genuine company, you shouldn’t expect to earn a lot of money working as a distributor because of how it is structured. Like most other MLM opportunities, only those that have achieved the highest ranks earn a considerable income, while those that are ranked lower make very little. If are looking to make a little money and don’t mind selling to your friends and family perhaps Java Momma will work for you. But do not expect to make life altering money.
WHAT IS BETTER THAN JAVA MOMMA?
I am not a big fan of MLM’s because of the structure of the business and because inevitably you have to start by pressuring friends, family and neighbors to buy products they may not like or need. This is extremely awkward and maybe even detrimental to these important relationships.
I have been using a business model that allows be to work from the comfort of my home and does not require inventory, shipping or customer service management. In addition to that, it requires very little startup investment.
The model that I use to provide me with the financial freedom that I want is called affiliate marketing. All you really need is a domain and hosting which is extremely inexpensive.
Learn more about affiliate marketing and how it works!
I believe that with a little knowledge and some hard work, anyone can generate passive income online. I can help you with the knowledge part, if you bring the hard work part. Don’t worry, the knowledge I am talking about does not require and prior tech skills.
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I really want help you explore this opportunity. Click on the link above and take a look. It is free (no credit card needed). Once you see the amazing training and support, I think you will want to learn more! Reach out to me once you are on the platform and I will be glad to help you!
See you on the other side!
To your success,
Mike Aha