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The second time I went to the firewalk seminar, Tony offered every attendee a “free coaching session” with one of his staff coaches. He personally pitched it as “my gift to you.” To take advantage of it, you had to schedule a face-to-face appointment in the days after the event. Since the seminar was semi-local to us, my wife and I went ahead and signed up. Knowing Tony to be a great marketer, we figured the free coaching session was akin to the shareware concept of try-before-you-buy. We expected to get a decent sample session and figured it would be followed by a basic sales pitch for more coaching, perhaps in the ratio of 90% substance to 10% sales pitch. Many personal coaches offer a free session to potential new clients, so this isn’t unusual at all. We were OK listening to a short sales pitch in exchange for the opportunity to ask a professional coach some interesting questions.

However, when we attended the free coaching session later that week, we were terribly disappointed. The free coaching amounted to the coach asking us some basic personal questions about our goals and then using our answers against us in an overly aggressive attempt to manipulate us into making a deposit to attend Tony’s far more expensive “Mastery University” seminars. At the time we attended, the firewalk seminar (called “Unleash the Power Within”) was $500 per person. Each Mastery University seminar ranged from $2500 to $5000. Attending the more expensive seminars simply wasn’t an option for us at the time. But when we pointed this out to the coaches, they became almost belligerent and proceeded to badger us. “If you’re truly serious about wanting to live an outstanding life, you’ll find a way to come up with the money. So what kind of deposit would you like to make today?” Eventually my wife’s coach and my coach brought us together and attempted to use our relationship as a further means of manipulating us. “Don’t you want your wife to be successful? Don’t you care about her enough to do this for her?” It was a truly disgusting display of avarice. These coaches were nothing more than salespeople, probably generously commissioned. There was no genuine coaching at all. We felt we’d been lied to. How would you feel in this situation?

My wife and I left disappointed and jaded, and we obviously didn’t buy the seminars. In fact, since that time (1998), neither of us has bought anything further from Tony Robbins. I felt that Tony had personally lied in this case, and the use of this bait-and-switch tactic seriously damaged his credibility with me.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE - PLEASE READ
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My office is litigation counsel for "Tony" Robbins and his related business entities. It has come to our attention... [/color:fe7927fa91]
This is the opening statement of a threatening, five page letter I received from Robbins. I have two choices, I can fight it or I can give up like everyone else that Robbins threatens legal action against. For those of you that have read anything about Tony Robbins know that he is quick to threaten anyone that criticizes who he is and what he does.

I am interested in your ideas and your help if you are interested in keeping this forum alive.
mailto:arty.b@hotmail.com

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Well, the "Big Toe" wants to sue me. Above is the intro to a five page threat letter where Tony Robbins also demands that I transfer ownership of my website to him immediately and that I pay all of his legal fees.

I do not feel that The Big Toes's attorney's are necessarily our adversary. For example, look at the Vancouver Sun fiasco. Tony's attorneys successfully humiliated Tony publicly and charged him about $1M for their services. If it was not for Tony's attorneys, Tony's scandalous person life would not be of public record. But instead, they were eager to lead the cash-cow to slaughter.

If I had $1M I would gladly hire them to finish the job they started but I am on a low budget and so I am asking for your help.

The plan is 3-point:

#1. I need more stories from people who personal knew or know Tony Robbins.

#2. I need a professional interested in producing a story about the Big Toe's personal life and behind-the-scenes professional life.

#3. I will facilitate the transfer of information in a way that protects the individuals involved.

#1. I appreciate all the letters I have received so far but I especially appreciate several letter I have promised not to post. These are letters from people who have told me about their first hand knowledge about Tony's scandalous personal life, about affairs (plural), where and how, mental abuse, threats. Stories that contradict the "The Big Toes" public image.

If you have first hand experience or knowledge, please write to me. I understand your fear, as some of you have expressed, of a frivolous, retaliatory lawsuit from Tony's attorneys. I understand that your concern is legitimate and protecting you from this abuse has to be prerequisite to your story being published.

#2. If you are a professional writer I will do my best to hand over the foundation for an easy to write, interesting story. I am looking for a television report. Last month alone there were over 950 searches on the internet for "Tony Robbins divorce". There is a substantial interest in this subject. Tell me what you want and we will make it happen. My labor is free. I am a little ignorant on this subject as far as how to solicit this type of story and who to solicit it to. If you have knowledge in this area, please enlighten me.

#3. My job is to make this happen. Tony has been successful at shutting people up with threats of legal action but it's time to change. YOU are the people he is trying to shut up, not me. It is YOUR stories he does not want heard. He wants to shut you up by suing me, your mouth piece.

I have stuck my neck out to expose the truth and now I am asking you to lend me a hand! I need your stories!

If Tony Robbins is successful at shutting you up by shutting this site down don't write me off. I'll be back.

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kath
...get some excellent help from the Electronic Frontier Foundation [www.eff.org]
They have helped activists a lot in the past.