I’m fascinated by MLMs and have read several books about this scammy industry, and I have to say, this one is the most deeply reported that I’ve come across. The author must have poured a ton of research hours into this sweeping exploration of the MLM world, which traces the industry back to its roots and follows its evolution into its current form.

I found the history of how laws around MLMs were shaped by lobbying to be super fascinating. We also get a peek into the lies MLM founders and promoters have spread over the years, like Mary Kay Ash’s mostly fabricated roots as a struggling single mom. The saddest parts are the stories of MLM victims, but at the same time it’s fascinating to see how even those at the hardest-to-reach levels of these pyramids pull in very little money.

If you’re hungry for a deep dive into one of the sketchiest industries out there, this book will not disappoint.

I am fascinated by cults and MLMs and think that if I drew a Venn diagram they have almost total overlap. I would recommend this if you liked Cultish; Hey, Hun; and Selling the Dream.

While this was very well-researched and thoroughly cited, which I really appreciate, I found the writing a little too dry. Considering, like lots of people interested in scams, MLMs, etc., much of the information was already familiar to me, I wasn't as engaged as I would have liked. I did especially appreciate learning how Project 2025 ties into MLMs, which is horrifying but unsurprising.

If you are interested in anti-MLM content, white collar crime/scams, or the history of how far-right politicians and corporate interests have dragged us to our current moment of crisis in American politics, this book is for you. I have read other books about MLMs, but many of them fall short by treating them as nothing more than quirky curiosities that sometimes pop up in your Instagram DMs like weeds. Little Bosses Everywhere skips making fun of the exploited “huns” and recognizes MLMs for what they truly are--a crime syndicate of right-wing donors feeding on the working class like vampires and operating illegal pyramid schemes in plain sight.

Although the book primarily focuses on a broader analysis of pyramid schemes and their history, it also follows one woman (a veteran who is given the pseudonym Monique) throughout her near-decade long experience in Mary Kay. My only qualm with the book is the way these sections are structured--we follow her story in brief chapters interspersed throughout the book as she joins Mary Kay, struggles to rise through the ranks towards the top of the pyramid, and eventually becomes disillusioned and quits. I wish these sections had instead been presented as a single chapter towards the end of the book, rather than in numerous chapters throughout--since Monique's experience is so specific to modern MLMs, it feels disjointed from the historical context that the earlier sections of the book focus on. That said, I do think Monique's story was worth including. Although it may be anecdotal, it puts a human face on the harm caused by pyramid schemes and also illustrates very clearly how even those who do beat the odds and achieve "success" in an MLM (Monique eventually reaches a celebrated Mary Kay rank that only the top 1.5% of distributors achieve) are often still unable to build a successful "business" by any objective metric (despite all her efforts and success relative to other distributors, Monique still *lost* a huge amount of money through Mary Kay--she spent approximately $70,000 more than she ever earned). It's a very clear illustration of how big a scam pyramid schemes are and how little their marketing copy means--how is it possible for one of their top-ranking distributors to be losing an average of nearly $10,000 per year? What does it mean for you to be one of the most successful Mary Kay sellers if you're still buying exponentially more than you ever sell?

This is truly excellent nonfiction--really well-researched, deeply rooted in both historical and present context, and clear sighted about the scale of this problem. If you watched the Lularoe documentary and wondered “why is nobody shutting these companies down?,” this book is the best explanation yet of why these blatant scams have proven so hard to kill.

Much like a pyramid scheme, this book has multiple levels.

This book a journalistic review, complete with the author slipping in unannounced to conference, of the MLM space in the contemporary U.S., complete with stories from the lives destroyed and the activists looking to destroy MLM organizations. Unless you are naive to the topic, it is an old song with a new choir. Good and entertaining, but you know the routine, though it sets up the next part.

This book is a history of MLM, mostly in the United States but not exclusively, including points of overlap like New Thought. This had the most interesting material, including the number of 'forgotten' MLM, which, much like the suckers conned by them, usually falter and fail. The big-picture view of the book here is what sets it apart. Its wider perspective allows for including all the overlaps and connections between the MLMs themselves and other cultural figures, and the network of perfidy is more obvious. This includes significant discussion on the history of regulations of MLMs, and the different sorts of back and forth over the years between the industry, the government, and the courts.

The most aspirational bit is the one of the subtitle. This is the most philosophical bit, where the author connects America writ large to the MLM. There is a compelling case where this overlaps with the other two levels, and how consciously constructed and persistent the world of MLM is. The organizations have an ideology that they have funded extravagantly that they view as supportive of MLM that has broader cultural effects. This part feels a bit knife to a gunfight. The idea here is huge and requires more than pointing at some of the cultural artifacts of how all things economy look like a scheme, or look like they require MLM tactics. The author does fine, and the linkages are helpful, but this singular point needs a book-length treatment, with a more academic consideration, so that its focus could include all the parts that it needs to make the case.

Overall a good read, but stuck in a paradox of being too basic and too advanced.

My thanks to the author, Bridget Read, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Crown Publishing, for making the ARC available to me.

Bridget Read breaks down the history of Multi-Level Marketing and shows how it has affected people all through today.

This, at times, is a dense history of MLMs. It is important and a necessary read for anyone that has been touched by MLM or who wonders why these companies exist. I like learning about MLMs and even I felt that it was a little dull at times. This also only focuses on the companies that are older and have been around for a long time. It doesn't really hit on newer companies (besides Paparazzi and mentions of BOO).

"No book has presented in such detail a damning indictment of the MLM / direct selling industry and the individuals who propelled and continue to propel it forward. The MLM “philosophy” tainted our culture with an untrue narrative of entrepreneurship and free enterprise, relied on deceptive statements to transfer wealth from millions of Americans to a handful of grifters, and helped pervert our politics. All of this and more comes out with truly compelling story telling.”

History, business and psychology are expertly intertwined in this amazing treatise. The author should be commended for their storytelling, tenacity and their ability to make decades worth of knowledge and information easy to follow and recall. This book should be required reading for any would-be entrepreneur who thinks they know what it truly means to work for yourself and strive for the American dream. I couldn’t put this book down; I never wanted to.

incredibly well-written and well-researched book about MLMs and how awful they can be a lot of the time. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Little Bosses Everywhere is a sharp, insightful, and at times, uncomfortable read that challenges the way we think about success, wealth, and the American Dream. The book takes a deep dive into the culture of pyramid schemes and multi level marketing (MLM), which have spread across society disguised as opportunities for financial independence and empowerment.

Read's approach is a mix of investigative journalism and cultural critique, drawing connections between the insidious nature of pyramid schemes and broader societal structures. She argues that pyramid schemes aren't just fringe scams, they reflect a deeper issue with how we value ambition, success, and entrepreneurship. The constant pressure to climb the ladder, to hustle, and to recruit others along the way, mirrors much of the corporate world, where success often comes at the expense of others.

What makes this book particularly effective is Read’s ability to humanize the issue. She doesn’t just expose the schemes from a theoretical perspective; she brings in the real stories of people who’ve been caught up in them. The book paints a picture of how these systems prey on people’s desires to improve their lives, promising riches and fulfillment, only to leave them financially drained and emotionally disillusioned. These personal stories make the book relatable and compelling, reminding us that pyramid schemes aren’t just faceless corporations, they affect real people.

Read also does a great job of connecting the rise of these schemes to the digital age. She highlights how platforms like Instagram and Facebook have made it easier for MLMs to thrive, with influencers marketing products and “lifestyle opportunities” that, at their core, often operate on the same principles as pyramid schemes. It’s a timely examination, especially as many people turn to social media for career inspiration and financial freedom, unaware of the exploitative systems at play.

Overall, Little Bosses Everywhere is an eye-opening read that forces you to rethink the hustle culture and question what success looks like in America. Read’s engaging writing and sharp insights make it a compelling read for anyone interested in the intersection of business, culture, and personal ambition. It’s a reminder that while chasing the dream, we need to be careful not to get caught in someone else’s scheme.

When reading non-fiction, some of my favorite topics are scams, history, and the history of scams, so you can imagine how excited I was to pick up this book. I was even more excited when I finished the last page, because this is quite simply the finest non-academic work on the multi-level marketing phenomenon to date. Many popular books that deal directly with MLM struggle with limited access (in the case of amateur investigators and anti-MLM activists) or a lack of broad historical insight (in the case of memoirs from former participants). This book, in contrast, provides an astonishing amount of meticulously-researched information in a tight and accessible text. Perhaps even more importantly, it places the history of MLM firmly within mainstream American economic and labor history, where it should have been all along. A gem for readers of true crime and economic history alike; one of my favorite reads of the year so far.

Everyone has heard of the terrible impact of pyramid schemes in the lives of people who are either desperately looking for income or who just seek financial independence.
Bridget Read exposes in a very thorough way, the origins and forefathers of the current MLM companies and how they have evaded the law for decades. Little Bosses Everywhere is an incredible testament of how these companies continue to get away with robbing hard-working people of their money in the name of "being your own boss."

This was a good book, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about the history of MLM, pyramid schemes, and business. The history was super interesting and included a lot I didn't know.
A great deal of it is troubling, when you realize how the history of the people who started some of these companies have generational wealth that sinks into our current politics and business world.

Thank you to Crown Publishing and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.