Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) products are everywhere. They are particularly common in the healthcare industry.

While some products may provide some relief when used properly, I believe the biggest problem created by the MLM industry is their blatant misuse and disregard for job titles.

Inaccuracy in Multi-Level Marketing

There are 3 significant problems caused by MLM companies:

1. They often make false claims about the products. The National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF) wrote a Position Paper on Multilevel Marketing of Health Products.
2. Some MLM sales reps actually impersonate licensed providers such as physicians, practitioners, and mental health professionals.
3. When licensed providers also sell MLM products, this can pose a major conflict of interest for their patients.

Check out an extensive list of data that demonstrate why MLMs are harmful.

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In order to get more perspective on this, I decided to make a list of every job title used by Independent Contractors across the MLM universe.

Keep reading to read the full list, well as my analysis of which titles are safe and which are dangerous to use.

Job Titles as an MLM Rep

Sales representatives for Multi-Level Marketing companies are incentivized to generate high sales volume and to recruit as many new reps as possible.

This is usually very difficult due to

• restrictions put in place by the MLM company,
• an overly saturated market,
• low product quality, and
• the nominal success achieved by even the most hard-working sales rep.

One way to generate interest and to build trust with a potential buyer of MLM products is by claiming a creative job title.

As the saying goes,

“What’s in a name?
that which we call a rose
By any other name
would smell as sweet.”

―William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Unfortunately, the predatory nature of MLMs and the unrealistic expectations of profit (less than 5% of people earn a full-time salary) mean this business model can smell…

…quite unpleasant.

And when reps start using potentially illegal titles, that’s when things really start to stink.

Take a look at the list, or jump below to read more about the

The List of 199 (Potentially Dangerous) Titles

I promise that all job titles listed here are completely genuine.

None of them are made up; each has appeared on websites, articles, and social media posts shared by actual MLM independent sales reps.

Without further ado, I present… a

(Really Long) Alphabetical List of Titles Used by Direct Sales and MLM Distributors.

1. Abundance Guide
2. [brand/product] Addict
3. Advisor*
4. Advocate
5. Affiliate
6. Alternative Wellness Consultant
7. Ambassador*
8. Aromatherapist*
9. Artist*
10. Associate
11. Beautician* [despite a lack of formal training]
12. Beauty Advisor
13. Beauty Therapist* [requires a license in New Zealand]
14. Boss* [or terms like “Gloss Boss,” “Fitness Boss,” etc.]
15. Boss Babe [a potentially exploitative and demeaning term]
16. Boss Chick [a potentially exploitative and demeaning term]
17. Boss Girl [a potentially exploitative and demeaning term]
18. Boss Lady
19. Boss Mama
20. Boutique Owner*
21. Brand Ambassador
22. Brand Influencer
23. BroBoss
24. Business Coach*
25. Business Developer
26. Business Entrepreneur*
27. Business Girl [a potentially exploitative and demeaning term]
28. Business Mom
29. Business Owner/ Savvy Business Owner
30. Business Woman/ Businesswoman
31. Businessman
32. Buyer*
33. CEO* [Chief Executive Officer]
34. Certified (fill-in-the-blank) [despite a lack of recognized formal training]
35. Coach/ Health Coach/ Wellness Coach*
36. Career Coach
37. Confidence Consultant
38. Consultant
39. Contractor/ Independent Contractor
    
40. Cosmetologist** [despite being unlicensed]
41. Creative Entrepreneur/ Creativepreneur
42. Dad Boss
43. Dadpreneur [“dad” + “entrepreneur”]
44. Day Spa Owner** [despite being unlicensed]
45. Dermatology Clinic Owner** [despite being unlicensed]
46. Design Consultant
47. Detox Specialist**
48. Digital Marketer
49. Digital Nomad
50. Direct Sales Associate
    
51. Direct Sales Diva
52. Direct Sales Mommy
53. Direct Sales Representative
54. Director
55. Distributor/ Independent Distributor
56. eCommerce Business Woman
57. Educator**
58. Enthusiast
59. Entrepreneur*
60. Entrepreneuress [female entrepreneur]
61. Essential Oil Expert
62. Esthetician [despite being unlicensed]
63. Executive Coach
64. Executive Consultant/ Executive Director
65. Expert
66. Fashionpreneur [“fashion” + “entrepreneur”]
67. Female Entrepreneur*
68. Female Founder
69. Fempreneur/ Femtepreneur [“female” + “entrepreneur]
70. Financial Advisor**
71. Fitness Coach*
72. Founder**
73. Girl Boss [a potentially exploitative and demeaning term]
74. Global Wellness Coach
75. Goal Digger
76. Goal Getter
77. Guide
78. Hairstylist* [despite a lack of formal training]
79. Health and Fitness Advisor*
80. Health and Wellness Consultant
81. Health and Wellness Expert*
82. Health Educator**
83. Health Professional** or Healing Professional*
84. Health Promoter
85. Health Trainer*
86. Health/ Health and Wellness Coach*
87. Holistic Health Coach*
88. Holistic Health Practitioner [despite being unlicensed]
89. Home Business Dad
90. Home Business Entrepreneur*
91. Home Business Mom
92. Home Business Owner*
93. Home Spa*
94. Home-Based Business Owner*
95. Hostess
96. Hustler/ Girl Hustler [a potentially exploitative and demeaning term]
97. Image Consultant
98. Independent Advisor
99. Independent Beauty Guide
100. Independent Consultant
101. Independent Coordinator
102. Independent Marketing Director
103. Independent Marketing Partner
104. Independent Promoter
105. Influencer
106. Inspirator
107. Instablogger [“Instagram” + “blogger”]
108. [brand/product] Junkie
109. Ladypreneur [“lady” + “entrepreneur]
110. Laptop Business Owner (do they sell laptops…?)
111. Laptop CEO
112. Life Coach
113. Lifestyle Coach
114. Lifestyle Entrepreneur*
115. Local Small Business Owner*
116. Makeup Artist* [despite a lack of formal training]
117. Manager
118. Manicurist** [despite being unlicensed]
119. Market Partner
120. Marketing Expert*
121. Medical Expert**
122. Member/ Club Member/ Team Member
     
123. Mentor
124. Mindset Coach
125. Mom Boss/ Mum Boss
126. Momager or Mumager [“mom” + “manager”]
127. Mompreneur or Mumpreneur [“mom” + “entrepreneur]
128. Multi-Level Movement Advocate
129. Multipreneur [“multiple” + “entrepreneur”]
130. Network Marketer/ Network Marketing Pro*
131. Network Master
132. Nurture Boss
133. Nutrition Coach*
134. Nutrition Educator*
135. Nutrition Expert*
136. Nutrition Specialist*
137. Nutritionist** [despite being unlicensed]
138. Online Business Owner*
139. Online Entrepreneur*
140. Online Trainer
141. Opportunity Creator
142. Owner*
143. Party Host
144. Party Planner
145. Personal Consultant
146. Personal Trainer*
147. Pharmacy/ Pharmacy Clinic** [despite being unlicensed]
148. Preferred Customer
     
149. Presenter
150. Promoter/ Product Promoter
     
151. Reading and Education Specialist** [despite a lack of formal training
152. Recruiter/ Sponsor
     
153. Referral Agent
154. Reseller*
155. Results Getter
156. Sales Ambassador
157. Sales Consultant
158. Sales Executive
159. Sales Representative
     
160. Sales Trainer*
161. Self Employed
162. Sex Therapist**
163. Sexpert
164. Sexual Health Educator**
165. Side Hustler/ Side Hustle Pro
166. Skin Care Clinic Owner** [despite being unlicensed]
167. Skin Care Executive*
168. Skin Care Specialist*
169. Small Business Owner*
170. Social Marketing Expert/ Social Marketer
171. Social Media Marketer
172. Solopreneur* [“solo” + “entrepreneur”]
173. Soulpreneur [“soul” + “entrepreneur”]
174. Spa Owner** [despite being unlicensed]
175. Spapreneur [“spa” + “entrepreneur”]
176. Spiritual Coach/ Spiritual Psychologist ** [despite a lack of accredited training]
177. Sponsored Athlete
178. Startup Woman
179. Stylist
180. Success Coach
181. Supervisor
182. Team Leader
183. Trainer*
184. VIP Member
185. Virtual Franchisee [see Juice Plus+]
186. WAHM/ WAHD (Work-at-Home Mom/ Dad)
187. Weight Loss Coach
188. Wellness Advocate
189. Wellness Blogger
190. Wellness Business Owner*
191. Wellness Educator**
192. Wellness Specialist*
193. Wellness Warrior
194. Wellpreneur [“wellness” + “entrepreneur”]
195. Wholistic Health Practitioner** [despite being unlicensed]
196. Woman Business Owner*
197. Woman In Biz
198. Woman Who Hustles
199. Work-At-Home/ Work-From-Home/ Working Mom (Mum) or Dad

Key:
bold = Roles that are truthful and legitimate MLM titles
* = Roles that misrepresent a true occupation
** = Roles that dangerously impersonate a true occupation

Which Title Should I Use?

Our words are important.

We use words to communicate our thoughts, to create trust, and to establish credibility with potential buyers.

A job title conveys a lot of information:

• the type of work we do,
• our position in the company, and
• the authority we have to make decisions.

After reviewing the nearly 200 titles common in the MLM world (above), I discovered that they fall into 3 categories:

• titles that are Accurate,
• those which Misrepresent, and
• those which Impersonate a qualified professional.

Titles That are Accurate

Several titles are completely accurate; they describe exactly what a Multi-Level Marketing rep does.

• Contractor/ Independent Contractor
• Direct Sales Associate/ Direct Sales Representative
• Distributor/ Independent Distributor
• Enthusiast
• Member/ Club Member/ Team Member
• Network Marketer
• Preferred Customer
• Promoter/ Health Promoter/ Independent Promoter/ Product Promoter
• Recruiter/ Sponsor
• Sales Representative

Each of these titles are accurate and descriptive of the work they do, so I encourage MLM reps to use them.

In the list above, truthful and legitimate MLM roles are marked with bolded font.

Titles That Misrepresent

MLM reps routinely use creative titles to stand out from the crowd. Unfortunately, some of these titles insinuate a level of expertise and qualifications that misrepresent the true nature of their role.

Here are some job titles used by MLM reps but which misrepresent their qualifications:

• “Consultant”
• “Entrepreneur”
• “CEO”
• “Founder”
• “Small Business Owner”
• “Boutique Owner”
• “Marketing Director”
• “Personal Trainer”
• “Health Coach”
• “Aromatherapist”
• “Nutrition Specialist”
• “Health and Wellness Expert”
• “Makeup Artist”
• “Marketing Expert”
• “Skin Care Specialist”

Although these titles could be used in a variety of settings, they are often misconstrued by MLM reps. Without the qualifications and training to call oneself a director, artist, or therapist, using these titles could lead to confusion.

In the list above, roles that misrepresent a true occupation are marked with a single asterisk *

Titles That Impersonate

Some ICs use titles that actually border on illegal, by impersonating legitimate and vital occupations. These are extremely dangerous, both because they can create harmful outcomes to the unsuspecting public, and because it cheapens and demeans an entire occupation.

Examples of job roles that should be used only by legitimate professionals:

• “Cosmetologist”
• “Dermatology Clinic Owner”
• “Detox Specialist”
• “Esthetician”
• “Financial Advisor”
• “Health Practitioner”
• “Health Professional”
• “Medical Expert”
• “Nutritionist”
• “Pharmacy Clinic”
• “Reading and Education Specialist”
• “Sex Therapist”
• “Sexual Health Educator”
• “Spa Owner”
• “Spiritual Coach”
• “Wellness Educator”

Each of these roles should only be used by legitimate, trained professionals.

When an occupation requires years of training, education, testing, and experience, such a person depends on the trust of those who use their services. The use of that term should be reserved only for those who truly deserve it, not by an impersonator who just wants to sell their product.

In the list above, roles that dangerously impersonate a true occupation are marked with a double asterisk **

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are at least 199 ways to describe MLM Sales Representatives.

Sadly, when we misrepresent ourselves by using titles from established fields—especially those that require prerequisite years of study and testing—this is misleading at best, and unethical or even illegal at worst.

Using a title that you do not earn in order to promote and sell products is a disservice to everyone who actually earned the right to use it.

As an advocate for licensed integrative health practitioners, I am especially concerned about MLM sales reps who falsely claim to possess healthcare and medical qualifications. By using professional titles, this places unsuspecting victims at huge risk of using fraudulent and harmful products without proper guidance—which can result in permanent physical, emotional, and mental health damage.

The moral of this story is:

• Use caution when selecting a job title.
• Make sure it accurately reflects your qualifications and the true nature of your work.
• And above all, be wary of people who pose as “Experts” but are really just contracted sales representatives in disguise.

Can you think of any other MLM titles that aren’t on this list? Comment below or send me a message!

For more information about Multi-Level Marketing companies, check out these resources:

MLM Definitions

Helpful Info About MLMs

Complete List of MLM Companies