Mark McCool saw his company, CyberWize, collapse. Orders plummeted from 270 in 2008 to just 3 in 2010. Rather than close, McCool rebranded, launching LiveSmart 360 on May 15, 2011, after a "LockYourSpot" pre-launch campaign. Thousands signed up.
The early momentum proved short-lived. Within weeks of LiveSmart 360's public launch, distributors reported delayed or missing payouts. McCool offered explanations. In a blog post, he blamed a third-party vendor for defective servers and software, claiming it crippled the business.
The damage was already done. Donna Valdes, a prominent LiveSmart 360 distributor and a key figure after President Mike Potillo, collected her first commission check for $57,500 and left the company.
The company continued through the summer, but the initial energy faded. Mike Potillo quit in June. This exodus was clear. McCool held an emergency training call with his remaining distributors, pleading with them to stay. He offered no new strategy, only an appeal.
That same call brought news of a rescue. Chuck Hallberg, a new investor and business partner, put money into the company. The funds were meant to support an international expansion. It appeared as a lifeline.
Four months later, McCool made his next move. He launched a new product, Manna 360, instead of letting the existing product line stabilize. He then scheduled a pre-launch event for November, with the actual product launch set for January 2012. This repeated the tactic that nearly ruined his reputation before.
McCool chases the same pre-launch fervor that first built LiveSmart 360. He gambles that manufactured scarcity and staged excitement can restart the business momentum he spent the last year burning through. This time, the approach feels like desperation.
Selling a product does not require a gala opening and months of hype. A business builds a product, advertises it, and lets its sales team work. The pre-launch theater worked once. McCool bets his company's survival on whether it can work again. The remaining distributors watch closely to see if this is strategy or panic.