MLM's, and Amway in particular, are predicated on one simple plan:
You have to create a captive market.
Outside of the group that you build with veiled promises of success (read greed), you will find little results.

Another principle ignored with MLM's is the base objective of getting something for nothing (or in their words, multipying your results through other people's efforts.)

Without those two pillars, MLM is dead.