Life Abundance has gotten on board the nutrition band wagon which has become so lucrative for net marketers - but with a twist. The products are for pooches and purry beasts, not people. Formerly known as Healthy Pet Net, the dog and cat food products at Life's Abundance contain no cereal or grain by-products like other canned and dry pet foods. The reason this is important is that, according to modern Veterinary research, these fillers are the leading cause of malnutrition and diseases such as Diabetes in our pets. Therefore, there is a growing movement towards giving our pets more natural things to eat without preservatives, man-made chemicals and kibble fillers.

There are two reasons to give Life's Advantages a look. The first is that the product is not available in retail stores. It is delivered fresh to the customer's door. The company uses a "fast-cook" process to lock in the nutrients and flavors and packages the products in small containers so each stays fresh. Customers can order daily nutritionally balanced foods as well as low fat treats for dogs and cats. The second is the manufacturer of Life's Abundance is APHIS certified, which has more stringent regulations than in the U.S. for pet food manufacturing. This allows them to sell pet food in the European market as well.

Of course, Dr. Jane Bicks, the formulator for Life's Abundance, recommends the Healthy Start pack which includes not only food but treats, supplements and even an ear cleanser and shampoo. Each Healthy Start pack for canines is geared on the dog's weight. Auto-ship options are available so the customer never runs out of the products their pet consumes on a daily basis.

 Business opportunities to have a home based distribution are available with this company. They are seeking entrepreneurs to promote and sell their products to customers. The company was founded in 1999 under the name of Healthy Pets Net and has always been solely an internet marketing company. Contacts are made through field representatives. Income is commissioned based with incentives.

Life's Abundance
1 877-387-4564
www.lifeabundance.com

A Review of Life's Abundance

With a rapidly growing number of new network marketing companies entering the marketing world, it can be a bit of a daunting task to keep track of them all, know what they sell (which is usually a repackaged variation of an already existing product) and how long they have been around. Some companies are brand new waiting to launch, while others have been around for awhile but have remained invisible as they grow in popularity. Life's Abundance falls into this category, having been established back in 1999 out of Palm City Florida.

Life’s Abundance is a network marketing company founded by Dennis and Carol Berardi, that sells various pet products for cats and dogs. Originally called HealthyPetNet, a division of Trilogy International. The company changed their name to Life’s Abundance in October of 2010, and is currently owned by Board and Vice Chairman, George and Cris Jochum.

The company's leadership is built with some pretty strong leaders in the business world with one hailing from the ranks of Western Union. Life’s Abundance’s flagship products are essentially what you might expect with any other pet products company such as pet food, supplements, treats and pet care products. In addition to its line of pet-oriented products, such as creams and clay masks. Another product offering is Sealogix, their brand of fish-oil, in addition to some household cleaning products believed to be eco-friendly.

Perhaps a bit too much like other companies of its caliber, Life's Abundance doesn't really seem to bring anything new to the table in regard to product or opportunity. In fact, I believe most areas of food and nutrition will experience growth spurts in regard to organics (which isn't the same as "natural"), not only for humans, but our four legged friends as well. I find that a growing number of consumers are becoming increasingly tired of chemicals, pesticides, and lab-engineered nutritional products, although that is of course, only my opinion.

Life's Abundance offers a compensation plan with 7 different ways you to generate money, while operating on a uni-level model with dynamic compression that prevents penalization for having non-producers in your team. Each method within the plan that brings in profits can all be divided into two main categories: Up front income and back-end, residual income which includes bonus pools. Sales performance also plays a major role in the profit numbers available.

The most negative thing I can say about the company is that it doesn't really offer anything I feel will last very long in terms of product quality or originality. I will however say that Life’s Abundance has a very good reputation as a solid company and offers a compensation plan that has yet to be the subject of too many complaints. There is certainly potential in becoming involved with them, although success will depend on your ability to accumulate distributors, which might involve finding another MLM system to assist with that.

Always great to get a response to a review.

Life's Abundance is quite unique in that it is the only ultra premium pet line that functions as a direct sales or network marketing company.  There are many other high end pet products on the market to be sure.  You can find them at any of the better pet product retailers.  As far as product originality, I have been in the commercial pet product business long enough to know that finding your for legged family member a quality and safe pet food is more important than being original.

Well repspected pet food labels are being purchased left and right by the mega giant businesses like Mars and Proctor & Gamble because it's big money.  The pet product business is a $50 billion business.  One thing that is often seen when a mega business buys a product, the quality goes down and the recalls go up.

Here is how Life's Abundance offers a pet owner something different.

1. Since the line was introduced in 1999, it has never had a recall.  This is rare among pet foods.
2. Because Life's Abundance uses a direct sales distribution system and not retailers, the product is always sent directly to the customers as soon as it is made.  It does not sit in big box warehouses and store shelves for months on end.  I know as a pet product merchandiser how long some foods sit in storage before they ever make it to the dog dish.
3. Customers have direct access to the holistic Vet formulator by joining our live conference calls we hold every month.  If a customer ever has a question about pet nutrition or our products, they can ask our well published formulator herself.

As someone that has working in the pet product industy as a senior field rep and merchandising manager, I can honestly say that the opportunity with Life's Abundance is not like any other business out there.

Everyone that owns a pet feeds their pet.  Pet products are already part of the household budget so it's just a matter of showing them a better product.  The holistic and all natural side of the massive pet product business has taken the lead as a growth sector because of the pet food recalls of 2007.

Yes, it is another MLM company.  But if business leaders like Trump believe it's the place to be for future growth, I would have to invest in that advice.  He has a whole lot more money in the bank than I do and I would be making a mistake not to give his business advice serious consideration.

Not all companies are aware of Npos and I was the one that told the leadership about this resource once I joined the Life's Abundance Team.  Npos is a great resouce but nobody in leadership had heard of it so the company was not listed.

The food is found among top show dogs at Westminster and it is know among the show community.  Now it's my job to intoduce the opportunity to pet lovers that are looking for a financial opportunity.

Almost forgot.  What kind of team leader and business builder would I be if I didn't include my link for people to find out more about the Life's Abundance products and business.  So here is my link to my personal team website.

I encourage everyone to read the reviews and make your own conclusion if Life's Abundance is right for you.

Well, I can't say much about the MLM opportunity because I haven't attempted to utilize it, but from the research I have done, I will say that the product itself seems to be of a very high quality, and that says alot about a manufacturer. I will also say that if I were to make a go of any more MLM opportunities, atleast from a product perspective, I would definitely feel good about putting my faith and respect into something like this. I love animals, and I dislike foods made from unhealthy materials. Its one thing to be exceptional about selling something, perform a great presentation, and being affective at building a massive sales force with a product you know is just a product. Its another thing entirely to be able to do so with a real genuine affection for the product, and to have faith behind it. So I must say for all of my somewhat pessimistic expectations I have about Network Marketing in general (especially new companies just starting out), I think there is potential in this one.

Truth be told, you never really know what the true intention is behind a company aside from a profit margin. We live in a time where the entire Western World seems like an arena, with companies attempting to capitalize on just about everything. Many companies spend millions on advertising every year for products they know will not last, or hope will need to be bought again. In this case, I see a little glimmer of hope that maybe we have a company that really does want to offer something it believes in. There is also the fact that a product like pet food is timeless, it isn't subject to the everchanging world of fashion, or technology, or processing speed etc. Its something that nearly all of us need; food for our pets that isn't going to be found to be unsafe, or lacking in quality. The one flaw I find about the product is the price, because it will basically cost $69 to feed your pet twice a day for 24 days. I don't know whether or not it cost nearly as much to produce, but if the food is truly that nutritious, perhaps the love of a pet is stronger than the desire for digital cable etc for people on budgets.

So far, it looks like a solid opportunity.

Thanks Wallace, that was a very kind and respectful review of our company.  The company itself has been in operation since 1999 and from last count I got, we are right around 12,000 distributors.  Those are not big numbers in the world of MLM or direct sales companies.  This is indeed a case for a company that has been around for more than 10 years.

In fact, this may be seen as a negative by some industry watchers.  I mean, how can a company be around that long and have so few distributors in the organization.  But I will suggest that it speaks to the nature of the company.  You see, based on everyone I've met and everyone you hear on our national training calls and conference calls, we are all just pet lovers and pet professionals that want whats best for our companion animals.

From pet professionals like Vets and Breeders, pet sitter and dog walkers down to and including a person that has a family pet that they love, HealthyPetNet and the Life's Abundance line is something that we share with others that we meet that share our passion for pets.  That is where our passion lies, with our animals and our products are something that we share.

Some people could be critical of our company because we don't have a flashy razzle-dazzle national convention with big named fast talking speakers or a car bonus program that promises you will be driving a BMW, Caddie or Mercedes.  Maybe we don't have the things that attract the big name team builders and that's  the reason we've remained "under the radar" for so long.

What we do have is a solid product line created by one of the nations most published and recognized holistic vet and a product line that has been in production since 1999 and has NEVER been on a recall list.  That in and of itself is something the big pet food labels would envy.

As for the reason for a direct sales or MLM distribution model?  I see two reasons for that.

1. By offering the product direct from the manufacturer to the pet owner insures that only the freshest product get to your pets dish.  As for myself coming from the pet product industry as a merchandiser, I can tell you that the food you buy your pet from the local retailer has been in warehouses, trucks and back rooms for months on end.  Each day the food quality goes down as the oxidization breaks it down.  Life's Abundance food is never more than 6 weeks old before it is sent to a pet owner.  6 weeks vs 6 months makes a huge difference.
2. By allowing Life's Abundance to be marketed and shared from one pet owner to another is the most powerful way to get the word out.  Every pet true pet lover has a favorite treat or food that they tell all their friends about.  Having a built in "word of mouth" community of pet owners already in place made it a perfect match for a direct sales method of doing business.  

As for myself, as I mentioned previous, I had already been working in the $50 Billion pet product industry for the past several years as a merchandising manager for a well known and respected all natural brand.  Life's Abundance can go toe to toe with any of the better known brands and since the massive recalls of 2007, pet owners have been demanding higher quality, better formulations and have had a build in fear of products that are made by the large multi-national companies that see pet food as just another division of their company.

I'm happy with what I've found at HealthyPetNet  and would be happy to share that with any pet lover that wants or needs a home based income.

As far as the numbers, I think if I were to make a go of this one, I'd be kind of excited about the low number, it means I could build a bigger network with less competition from other distributors. I admit, it is relevant because the company has been around for 10 years, but we are just now entering, and have been for a few years; a time where organics are rapidly becoming the focus, both in human-based products for consumption and for our pets. Studies are showing the effects of the foods we have been ingesting and feeding our dogs to be the cause for countless health problems. In this case, I think Life's Abundance probably has a much better chance of being seen based on the food quality alone.

I see that the pet foods are made from nutritiously designed food, but its not clear to me if the materials are of a non-GMO origin, which plays a major role in its function. If Life's Abundance can enter the organic market, I think you would have a very good chance of dominating the market. It has been a slow transition, but this decade is proving to be a time where many of us are becoming very conscious of what we are eating, and where it comes from. Many people now would not dream of buying their food products at places like Pricerite, Walmart, or even Stop & Shop because they are beginning to research what their food is actually exposed to during manufacture.

Animals have been on the poor end of the stick in this area as well, simply because most people let them eat table scraps, or buy the cheapest food possible, which is a good way to shorten their pet's life span and ensure a slough of health problems later in their life. I can see that Life's Abundance is labeled as "All Natural" but is it technically made from organic, non-GMO and non synthetic ingredients? Don't get me wrong, a step up is a step up, and I respect the product, but from a merchandising perspective, I am wondering what claims can be made about the product that aren't disputable.

Kudos to what appears to be a pretty good product, and I sure hope that it takes off and replaces what the average person is feeding their pet. I also hope other companies follow suit and get with the program of changing what this country consumes overall. I'm anything but a fitness nut believe me, but I do exercise regularly and am very conscientious of what I put in my body, especially because you don't quite realize how bad you feel until you remove the bad substances. I would challenge anyone to experiment both on themselves and on their pets by providing all organic and see the difference in mood, health, and well-being.

Good Morning Wallace, 

Great points and I can tell you have a good knowledge of organic and natural products.  To be honest, I can't tell you if the oats and brown rice are from GMO sources.  We claim all natural but make no claims of being organic.

As a field rep, I have always encouraged people NOT to simply buy a product based on claims made on the front of a bag of pet food.  That's where the marketing messages are.  Teaching them how to read a side panel is the greatest service I can provide to them.  Teach a pet owner a little about what they are reading and if they walk away without my product, at least they will walk away being a better pet parent.

In fact, I don't even like the term "natural" when it comes to a pet product or any other product.  You know as well as I do that natural does not always mean what the average consumer thinks it means.  The government gives a great deal of latitude when it comes to natural.  Even terms like organic live in the muddy waters of government labeling laws.

Here is one thing we try to do for our customers and distributors.  We host several open conference calls every month where our customers and distributors can call in on a live call with Dr. Bicks and ask her any question they want about the foods, her formulations and why she creates what she does.  I cannot think of any other pet product company that opens up the lines and lets their customers ask questions directly from the formulator.

I forgot to mention one other benefit to our direct sales model as compared to pet products found in the stores.  If your remember, I mentioned that the product line has been in productions since 1999 and has never been effected by a recall.  Knock on Wood.  But, if that should ever happen, because we maintain the database of all of our customers and what they purchased.  Why is this important to us?  Well if we ever did experience a recall on a product, we have the ability to notify our customers directly via phone or email.  People that purchase product at a Petco, Petsmart or independent retailer have not idea of who bought what and how to contact them.  In effect, a pet owner could be feeding a recalled product and never be aware of that.  

This may sound like a small thing to a non pet owner, but with the massive pet food recalls of 2007 still fresh in the memories of 1000's of pet owners, this offers a level of assurance that we feel is essential and why we wont offer our product line to any larger retailers.  Dr. Bicks insists on that.  Do we sacrifice profit and growth because of this?  Sure, but it's a price worth paying.

We are about educating pet parents and providing the best possible products based on the best practice formulations of a well respected holistic Vet.

Our education process begins with a video that we call The Truth About Pet Foods.  

Thank you very much for the reply Dale, and I might also add, for your honesty. I am borderline unfair when it comes to discussing MLM companies, perhaps a bit unreasonable at times, but I have to say this is one of those areas where the more I research the more I am convinced to appreciate a product. I agree with you completely about the word "Natural" being a bit problematic, especially because the definition from a legal perspective is likely broad and undefined. As I said before, I think it is important that ingredients such as oats and grains should be grown naturally, but I also understand that it certainly isn't always fair to treat something as though its toxic simply because it was fed nutrients or something. I admit I likely sound fanatical by focusing on the product itself, but I feel that should be the sole focus for any truly honest entrepreneur.

From the perspective of the business opportunity, I found very little negative feedback which is admittedly the first thing I tend to look for when I discover a company I haven't previously heard of. Its also great that there have been no recalls, as I find it sad that somehow we must use the fact that a food isn't dangerous as a basis for selling it lol. That's not a knock on you by the way, I just mean marketing in society as a whole. I feel pretty good about Life's Abundance for the most part, with hopes that a certifiably organic version surfaces. I also like that the product goes from manufacturer to pet owner, as it gives the company control over quality and delivery.

I am also impressed with the ability to have questions addressed via telephone conference, as it gives an opportunity for others to ask questions directly with the designers, or at least those intimate with the nutritional and biological aspect of the product's benefits. I apologize if this has already been stated in another post, but I was wondering what role exactly Dr. Jane Bicks played in the creation of Life's Abundance? Is the product based solely on her research, or was she more of a consultant? I know I ask a lot of questions so please take your time in responding.

Thanks again.

Oh No Wallace...no appologies needed!

Dr. Bicks IS the Life's Abundance formulations and Life's Abundance products ARE Dr. Bicks.  These are not products that she found and endorses.  These are her formulas and products that she has created based on her experience and study of holistic pet nutrition.

From a business standpoint this can be seen as a disadvantage but here is where we tend to do things a bit differently.  We don't claim to be a marketing powerhouse.  Perhaps that is another reason the HealthyPetNet and Life's Abundance has remained under the industry radar for so long.

Any new product and formulation comes from finding a need for it and after much consideration.  She does not create a product simply to add something to the list to sell.

Let me give you an example.  If you look at our product line, you will notice that we don't offer a reduced calorie cat food.  This may sound strange from a pet food company perspective.  After all, there are a lot of overweight cats that could mean customers.  Our team conference calls may sound somewhat comical to a non pet owner because there has been an ongoing debate over the merits of a reduced calorie cat food.

Why?  Well Dr. Bicks remains on the fence over the reason to offer it.  As a cat owner herself, she knows what will happen when pet owners try to feed a reduced calorie food to a very vocal cat.  They will just feed MORE of it and therefore, defeat the whole point of using such a product.

Could we sell bags of it?  Sure, but this would only benefit our bank accounts and not the pets or pet owners.

A pet food company with a conscience?  Poppycock you say?  Believe it because we are.

Since the recalls of 2007, the trends and buzz words have been coming into the pet product business faster than companies can make products to fill the niche.  The problem is, there is very little science and even less long term research to support it.

The "grain-free" train pulled out of the station very quickly and is moving forward at full tilt.  Everyone is jumping on board as fast as they can so they don't get left behind.  It sells products.  But my years in the pet food product industry has taught me many anecdotal lessons.

You see, I know after 1000's of conversations with pet owners over the years that the issue is not grains, I see that the issue is with glutens.  Get a dog or cat away from isolated gluten sources and many of the skin & coat problems seem to vanish like magic.  

Now, I'm not a Vet and in fact don't want to be a vet.  However, I'm constantly surprised by how in my early days I got into debates all the time with Vets about this and now I rarely do.

The question then becomes, if you are going not just gluten free or low gluten grains but instead you are going totally grain free, what is your source of carbohydrates in the formula and if its a high starch carbohydrate, what is the long term effects an blood sugar regulation?  All unknowns at this point because there is no long term research out there.

Here I must appologize because I am a long term pet food nerd.  I don't want to convey the idea that someone needs to be a pet food nerd or industry insider to be a success with Life's Abundance as a distributor.  They don't.  They just need to care about pets and want to share foods and treats that were created with a conscience.  There are pleanty of people behind the scenes that carry on the day to day struggle of making the best products for our distrubutors to offer and our customers to buy for their pets.

Nonetheless, your questions are welcome and if there is any question I cannot answer, that is When I email them the number and pin to join us on one of our calls with Dr. Bicks.

Thank you for the excellent info Dale, your company (at least your representation of it) is really helping to renew my hope and respect for the MLM world. I'm completely with you on the low Gluten thing, this has not only surfaced as a problem for animals but for us humans to. Gluten actually contributes to all kinds of skin issues, and it was the one thing that stopped my previous dog from chewing herself bloody. We tried everything, special shampoos, temperature adjustments during baths, and finally after using gluten-free products, she stopped and healed up.

Thanks for answering my question on the Dr, I hadn't had the chance to do the research myself.

You are very welcome Wallace.  It is my pleasure to have a professional conversation about our industry and my company.  I will certainly agree that there are plenty of people, companies and reasons for someone to have a less than favorable opinion of the Direct Sales and Networking industry.

At the same time, there are many people and companies that can cause someone to change their opinion or regain their faith in it.  It's crucial for our industry that the people that get involved are professionals and treat others the same way.

A big problem is that Network MARKETING is a business that tend to attract people that don't know the first thing about MARKETING.  Its is not Network "selling" or network "recruiting", it's called network MARKETING for a reason.  

When someone gets involved in a company, any company, and they begin selling and pushing, they begin their business by already being off target.

Anyway, those are my opinions and the opinions of the industry leaders that I follow.

As far as the pet product subjects go?  I have been promoting the idea a Gluten-Free vs. Grain Free for years and I have seen an increased understanding of that message.

As a leader in HealthyPetNet and Life's Abundance, it is my job to represent the industry and company in a professional manner and inform interested  people.

I Appreciate you great questions and your professional curiosity about HealthyPetNet and Life's Abundance

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