In August 2021, influencer Madison Vining made a big announcement on Instagram: After becoming one of the top sellers at multi-level marketing essential oil company Young Living, she was quitting.
The news came as a huge shock to her more than 250,000 Instagram followers and her Young Living team, known as the “Happy Oilers.” The New Yorker reported in 2017 that Young Living is one of the two largest essential oil companies in the U.S., along with its main rival doTERRA (both are the world’s largest essential oil companies, according to the magazine). ). Both reportedly have annual sales of $1 billion and serve millions of customers. Mr. Vining, who had worked at Young Living for more than eight years, had reached the status of a “Royal Crown Diamond.” The average annual salary for sellers with that status is $1,645,692, or $137,000 per month, according to the company.
People online began speculating why Vining and her husband, Tyler, would leave so much money behind to start from scratch. A few days later, when the Vinings announced they were joining a new wellness-focused MLM, Modere Inc. (best known for its collagen supplements), I wondered if the couple had received a huge paycheck or some kind of severance package. Rumors swirled that there was no such thing.
For several months, Mr. Vining remained opaque about his reasons for leaving Young Living. But recently, she finally started spilling the tea on social media. What was one reason the Vinings left Young Living? Satan and his demons.
Yes, he’s the prince of darkness. Earlier this month, Mr. Vining, a devout Christian, spoke out against former Young Living employees who have hinted or explicitly said that they left the company because they felt satanic forces were spreading “darkness” among Young Living members. Just one of the top retailers.
One former seller, Melissa Truitt, even labeled the company a “cult” in an Instagram Story highlight she posted to her account last week, which she later deleted. Last week, Truitt posted a series of Instagram Stories accusing the company of spreading “Satanic” propaganda through a New Age self-help book it sent to members earlier this year, calling out the oily “Satanic” led to accusations of “panic”. She appealed to Christians still working at Young Living to flee or risk their souls.
“This is much more important than money, much more important than everyday life, this is of eternal importance,” Tuitt said emotionally on her Instagram Story.
Truitt did not respond to requests for comment on this story. Vining didn’t either, but she blocked me on her Instagram right after I contacted her.
In response to the allegations, Young Living said, “We do not publish this book or endorse it in any way.” The company said in a statement that the book’s co-author and top seller Marcella von Harting sent it to her list “without her company’s knowledge or consent.” The company denied providing Mr. Von Harting with anyone else’s contact information. (Von Harting did not respond to requests for comment).
“We support a culture of inclusion that permeates our employees, customers, and brand partners around the world,” the statement said. “We value and celebrate the diversity of our members, their backgrounds and beliefs, and we ensure that our brand partners follow our policies, procedures and code of ethics.”
The sudden declaration of the company as diabolical by influencers and former Young Living retailers is odd, to say the least, especially since many, like Vining, jumped ship to Modere in the past few months before receiving the book. Truitt, who had reached the second-highest “Diamond” status, also left Young Living to join Modere five months ago. Other major Young Living sellers, including Pure Joy Home’s Liz Joy and Monique McLean, also suddenly announced they were switching to Modere recently as well.
In fact, many of Young Living’s most prominent top sellers have left the company, and last August Young Living sued some of its sellers, including the Vinings and the McLeans, for breach of contract. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Utah in August 2021, but was dismissed in December 2021 at the request of both parties. Still, this article provides valuable insight into Instagram’s breakup with a prominent essential oil retailer. In its complaint, Young Living accused the McLeans and the Vinings of conspiring to enter into a contract with Modere in order to “raid” Young Living’s business. (Mr. MacLean did not respond to a request for comment. Mr. Modere also did not respond to a request for comment.)
