In Business Since: 1992

Financial Strength: Strong financials, publicly traded with 1998 revenues at $121.6 million. Revenue for first quarter of 1999 was $31.3 million, which represents a 19.7% increase from the first quarter report of 1998.

Management: President and founder Dr. Myron Wentz, Ph.D. is a pioneer in cell-culture technology and a successful businessman who has a assembled a team of USANA executives and managers with credentials that is among the best in the network marketing industry.

Management Rating: 5 Stars

Online Training & Support: USANA has one of the best online support system in the industry, and has won the 1999 Industry Innovation Award from The Direct Selling Association for their science-based website, containing over 2000 pages and very detailed information about products, the company, financial information, the business opportunity, and much more.

Click here to learn how you can effectively utilize the most powerful online marketing technique to sponsor more people than you ever thought possible.

Field Training & Support: Field training and support is available through corporate sponsored regional and natinal events as well as distributor sponsored business briefings with a comprehensive list of events available at the corporate website.

Motivational Support: Motivational support is available online, the USANA corporate magazine, corporate sponsored events, and weekly events lead by distributors all over the U.S. and internationally.

Training & Support Rating: 5 Stars

Products/Services: Nutrition, personal care, weight management. The USANA products are backed by scientific research through their own inhouse research and development department lead by Senior Scientist Dr. John McDonald, Ph.D. USANA also manufactures their own products, which gives them total control of quality and product pricing.

Product Quality/Effectiveness Rating: 5 Stars

Product Market Rating: 5 Stars

Business Opportunity Market Rating: 5 Stars

Compensation Plan: Usana has a binary compensation plan, which is relatively new, having been introduced to MLM less than 10 years ago. However, it has been proven to generate a very lucrative income for those who choose to work the plan and work it wisely. One of the selling points of this type of plan is that it promotes help from upline distributors through "spillover" since distributors are limited to the number of first level distributors they can sponsor, and those who are sponsored after that are placed below those people creating a spillover. It also allows the people above you to re-enter the matrix below you. The exciting thing about that is that someone above you who is very successful can wind up below you, helping to build your organization and perhaps even counter an extremely imbalanced leg or "runaway leg". However, don't expect a "heavyhitter" to end up under you as it may never happen due to the fact that a heavyhitter could have many, many legs that he or she can fall under. Another selling point is that you need not sponsor a large number of people since only 2 (one on each side) is required to qualify for commissions and potentially build a "business center". Of course, if you have an imbalanced leg, which is likely to happen, you'll want to continue to sponsor to help counter it and to continue to grow your business. A major drawback to a binary is that it tends to attract many people who expect a large income with very little work due to promises of spillover that may never come. Hence, many people join expecting an organization to be built for them and when it doesn't happen, they quit. Usana's binary is a very lucrative one, however, when talking to network marketers, you will find that many will either love the plan or hate it with a passion. However, if you choose to go to work and not have any expectations of overnight wealth through spillover and having others build your business for you, you can build a very lucrative business that can grow beyond your expectations.

Compensation Plan Rating: 4 Stars

Overall Rating: 4.83 Stars

Advantages: Strong management, strong research and development, manufactures its own products, international opportunity, high quality products, strong financials.

Disadvantages: The binary compensation can be a negative for a lot of people, especially to those who are "inner-circle" network marketers who may be "dead-set" against binaries . However, new MLMers and those who have been exposed to other types of compensation plans, such as breakaways, may see the USANA comp plan as a fresh and exciting new opportunity. Beware, though, of "spillover" and uplines "building your organization for you" promises, as they may never materialize. Joining a strong group and positioning yourself directly under or near a strong business builder can help.

Comments: This is one of the strongest companies we've seen so far when it comes to online support, product development, management, financial strength, and international opportunity. This is especially true given the fact that most people have not yet heard of USANA, making it still a groundfloor opportunity.