DSN October 2020 Direct Selling News

F E AT URE / MICHE L E G AY: A GUIDE T O F E M A L E E MP O W E R ME N T

F E AT URE / K INDR A H A L L : HO W T O T RULY C ONNE C T W I T H P RO SP E C T S VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 10

OCTOBER 2020

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C O N T E N T S O C T O B E R

2 0 2 0

FE AT URES

Face Your Finances: A Guide to Female Empowerment B Y M I C H ELE GAY Storytelling: How to Truly Connect with Prospects

BY K I N D R A HALL

40 76

SPOTLIGHTS

New U Life From Local Shop to

Global Brand

62

B Y C O U RTN E Y R O U S H

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ONE VOICE

58 Q&A with Brent Willis and Dr. Fred Cooper, CEOs of NewAge Inc.

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58

IN EVERY ISSUE 10-11 AD INDEX // 13 FROM THE EDITOR // 15 INDUSTRY NEWS // 34 FORWARD THINKING // 81 DSA MESSAGE // 82 VENDOR DIRECTORY //

OCTOBER 2020

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48

Serving the Direct Selling and Network Marketing Executive Since 2004 A SUCCESS Partners Company

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Stuart P. Johnson CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

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Laura Castillo Jenny Paredes PRODUCTION MANAGER

Virginia Le

COVER STORY

INNOVATI O N A HE A D OF IT S TIME How two industry visionaries from Le-Vel forecasted the need for an all-virtual workplace almost a decade before anyone else.

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Peter Tepp BUSINESS DE VELOPMENT MANAGER

Melinda Bogoslavsky advertising@directsellingnews.com CONTRIBUTORS

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& Thank you to all our 2020 Supplier Sponsors

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FROM THE EDITOR Innovation—Make Thinking Differently the New Status Quo

“I

MAGINATION—THE CAPACITY to create, evolve, and exploit mental models of things or situations that don’t yet exist—is the crucial factor in seizing and creating new opportunities, and finding new paths to growth,” say innovation experts and scholars Martin Reeves and Jack Fuller, in a recent Harvard Business Review column. Direct selling as an industry is innovative. I hope this Innovation issue challenges you to see the importance of capturing your creative spirit, harnessing your creative energy and making thinking differently your status quo.

Our cover story by Heather Martin and Sarah Paulk tackles the topic of innovation. It takes a look at the visionary game changers, Jason Camper and Paul Gravette from Le-Vel, who forecasted a need for a virtualworkplace almost a decade before anyone else, and long before the pandemic. It delves into what we can learn from the disruptors and how COVID-19 has caused an innovation marathon.

Michele Gay, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of LimeLife by Alcone, shares her journey and what she has discovered about female empowerment and the way women feel about money. Her feature article on page 40, “Face Your Finances,” will change the way women understand their thoughts toward money and how they handle it. Her four steps strategy outlined in the article was developed to help lead women to financial empowerment and be a foundation for success.

I had the privilege to connect with Dr. Fred Cooper and Brent Willis regarding the partnership and merger that has combined their two companies into a powerful global enterprise. They shared their success factors, their approach geared to set NewAge apart, their views on disruptive innovation and their goals for 2021 and beyond.

I know fabulous things are instore for the new blended family at NewAge, Inc., and you can read about them on page 58.

Our company spotlight this month showcases New U Life and how the American dream transformed a flagship product into whole-body wellness for consumers worldwide. “To have come from a single storefront to a wholehealth movement of nearly 400,000 distributors and counting, and with expansion in markets throughout the world just three years into our direct selling journey, is nothing short of amazing,” said Alexy Goldstein, Founder and CEO. Get inspired by the New U Life story found on page 62.

There are many exciting things happening at Direct Selling News. Last month we launched the DSN Customer Centric Recognition Program. We feel it is important to be a customer-centric industry where we build strong retail bases, and opportunity seekers will follow. This issue contains the first listing of the Customer Centric Recognized companies on pages 30 and 31. To apply visit DirectSellingNews.com/ccr/ or reach out to me at editor@directsellingnews.com with any questions. We also have our annual Best Places to Work in Direct Selling nominations going on until October 23. There is still time to nominate your company. The Best Places to Work will be featured in a special publication in April 2021, and you receive invaluable insights from Quantum Workplace. Please visit DirectSellingNews.com/bestplacestowork for more information.

All the Best,

PATRICIA WHITE | EDITOR | PWHITE@DIRECTSELLINGNEWS.COM FOLLOW US ONLINE:

@directsellingnews

@DSNUpdate

Join our LinkedIn Group w w w . d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 1 3

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IN THIS ISSUE

T HE MON T H IN NE W S A F F E C T IN G O UR C H A NNE L

Leading Off

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M A IN S T OR Y

Mary Kay Ash Named Among USA TODAY’s Women of the Century

BRE A S T C A NCER AWA RENESS— DIREC T SELLERS M A K E A DIFFERENCE

E

very October, breast cancer awareness takes center stage as businesses around the world join survivors and their supporters to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

But this kind of national attention wasn’t always available or even considered appropriate.

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Nature’s Sunshine Announces New Business Model

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Neora/FTC to Be Single Case in North Texas District

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Pampered Chef Launches New Subscription Service S

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For generations, breast cancer was an unspoken condition, considered too personal to discuss on a national stage. That is until First Lady Betty Ford shared her own breast cancer story in 1975 and helped dismantle the taboo surrounding the disease. Since 1975, the 5-year survival rate for women (and men) has

significantly increased, in large part to better education and access to screening.

While early detection and screening are more readily available today than they were when the first Breast Cancer Awareness Month was announced in 1985, funding for screening access, research and treatment is still a tremendous need. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation estimates that nearly 300,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2020 alone and an estimated 42,000 women will die from the disease this year.

Many direct selling companies see the urgent need for more breast cancer

research and resources and are supporting the cause through donations, fundraising and sponsorship.

Avon has been active in the fight against breast cancer since 1992 when the company launched The Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. Over the last several decades, the company has donated more that $800 million to breast cancer causes and is a longtime partner of the American Cancer Society.

Today, Avon is the first National Presenting Partner of Making Strides Against …

To read the full news feature, scan the QR Code, or visit http://bit.ly/DSNQR

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From a broad perspective, we believe that the direct selling industry, as a whole, is experiencing a renaissance within the domestic market.

— S T U A R T J O H N S O N , C E O o f T r a n s f o r m a t i o n C a p i t a l a n d F o u n d e r a n d C E O o f S U C C E S S P a r t n e r s w w w . d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 15

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I N D U S T R Y N E W S For full article visit

directsellingnews.com /category/news/

News in Brief

Mary Kay Ash Named Among USA TODAY’s Women of the Century List

M

ary Kay Ash, the legendary business executive and philanthropist, was among the honorees of USA TODAY’s Women of the Century list.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment and women’s right to vote in the United States, USA TODAY released the Women of the Century USA TODAY 100, a list of female icons in entertainment, politics, civil rights, sports, arts, science and business who made the largest impact on American society in the last century.

“Mary Kay was always ahead of her time,” said Ryan Rogers, chief investment officer of Mary Kay Inc. and grandson of Mary Kay Ash. “She would’ve been honored and humbled to be named among so many incredible women in the Women of the Century USA TODAY 100. But Mary Kay’s personal ‘top women’ list would have been much longer. She saw potential in every woman.”

Fellow honorees include Dolly Parton, Gloria Estefan, Anna May Wong, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Billie Jean King, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou and “Hidden Figures” Mary Jackson, Katherine Coleman Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan. Women were selected through nominations and then narrowed down through rigorous debate by expert panelists in every state across the nation.

Herbalife Announces Preliminary Results of Self Tender Offer

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erbalife Nutrition Ltd. announced the preliminary results of its “modified Dutch auction” self-tender offer.

The offer was to purchase up to an aggregate of $750 million of the company’s common shares at a cash purchase price not greater than $50.00 nor less than $44.75 for each share tendered. Based on the preliminary count by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the Depositary for the tender offer, a total of approximately 37.9 million common shares of the company were properly tendered and not properly withdrawn at or below the price of $50.00 per share, the maximum cash 1 6 D I R E C T S E L L I N G N E W S |

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purchase price in the price range specified in the tender offer.

In accordance with the terms and conditions of the tender offer and based on a preliminary count by the Depositary, the company expects to accept for payment a total of approximately 15.4 million common shares of the company at a cash purchase price of $48.75 per share, for a total cash cost of approximately $750 million, excluding fees and expenses relating to the tender offer. These common shares represented approximately 10.4 percent of the company’s total outstanding shares.

OCTOBER 2020

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Beautycounter Partners with Klarna

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larna, a global payments and shopping platform, announced a partnership with Beautycounter.

The partnership will enable customers to shop for the products with financial flexibility through Klarna’s four equal, interest-free installments.

“Our mission is to get safer products into the hands of everyone with a commitment to educate consumers, formulate with responsibly sourced ingredients and advocate for more health protective laws,” said Gregg Renfrew, founder and CEO of Beautycounter. “As the leader in clean beauty, partnering with Klarna means we are meeting customers wherever and however they like to shop through more financial control and convenience.”

Data from the Klarna app show that Gen Z shoppers in the U.S. have increased their spending on clean beauty by nearly 26 percent since the start of the pandemic, the most of any demographic group. Additionally, among the more than 2 million items that were wish-listed on the Klarna app in the past year, personal care products such as sleeping masks, facial protective primers, concealers and peeling solutions ranked among consumers’ top picks.

“Consumers today, and Gen Z in particular, are demanding increased transparency from brands, whether it’s from ingredients in the products they buy to the payment solutions they choose,” said David Sykes, head of U.S. at Klarna.

Five Things About Avon’s New Visual Identity

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von’s had a makeover.

They have been doing beauty differently for over 130 years—now they are bolder and more modern. A lot of science went into this brand refresh. The design team behind the new visual identity shared five things about Avon’s new visual identity.

1. It’s bolder but feminine too. It’s a heavier weight font, but the curves and soft edges still reflect Avon’s mission to champion women.

2. It feels like it’s created by someone not a computer—it’s more human with less symmetry; it looks less computergenerated. Avon is a brand built on community after all.

3. The A-frame cuts on the A, V and N create shapes that thread through everything to keep the brand consistent and recognizable across all the company’s touchpoints.

Consistency helps create memory structures in the mind— memory structures keep brands front of mind, which helps when consumers are evaluating brands for purchase.

4. The color gradient is built on the shapes in a woman’s face: namely the cheekbone, brow and jaw line. What Avon stands for really is built into every little detail.

5. The color gradient represents transformation—it’s always evolving, just like Avon.

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I N D U S T R Y N E W S For full article visit

directsellingnews.com /category/news/

Nature’s Sunshine Announces New Business Model Launch

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ature’s Sunshine Products announced the launch of its revamped business model, rolling out immediately.

“It’s been nearly 50 years since our founding, and we’ve made the strategic decision to completely relaunch our company this fall,” said Terrence Moorehead, CEO, Nature’s Sunshine. “We are officially rolling out our new branding, launching our new website and introducing a series of new programs designed to dramatically improve the Nature’s Sunshine Experience. The new experience has been designed to not only respond to evolving customer trends, but also provides exciting new growth opportunities for our consultants, health practitioners and retailers. To support these efforts and increase awareness of our brand, we will also be launching our new ‘Force of Nature’ digital campaign, which is set to launch later this year.”

According to the company, the relaunch refocuses Nature’s Sunshine on its core strength as Herbal Experts, having been the first company to encapsulate herbs in 1972. The company’s new refreshed branding, sales tools and simpler compensation model with faster payments and greater earning opportunities are designed to help support and amplify the company’s leadership position.

Additional aspects of the relaunch include a revamped consumer-facing website where consultants can create their own dedicated URL, which will allow them to run their own digital business and track customers and orders. Nature’s Sunshine’s consultants will also feel the rewards of their customer and downline purchases in real time, with the potential to receive rewards within 30 minutes of a purchase.

Neora/FTC to Be Single Case in North Texas District

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eora’s lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been dismissed by a Federal Court.

Last November, right after Neora filed suit alleging that the FTC was attempting to improperly change direct selling laws, the FTC filed a lawsuit against Neora (formerly known as Nerium) and its owner Jeffrey Olson, alleging that Neora and Olson have been operating a pyramid scheme.

Recently Neora was successful in having the lawsuit transferred from New Jersey to Texas. The court found that New Jersey’s ties to the FTC’s filed case “are tenuous, at best,” including arguments the FTC presented regarding ties to New Jersey through Neora’s manufacturing process. The end-result was no substantive reason for not moving the FTC’s case to Texas, and so it was ordered on July 27.

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In regards to the Chicago based case, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis recently granted the FTC’s motion to dismiss on the grounds that the claims presented are not ripe for judicial resolution and for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

“Following the ruling to transfer the case from the FTC’s preferred venue in New Jersey, to our hometown of Dallas, Texas, we requested the dismissal in order to file our counter claims in Dallas and combine this into a single case,” said Deborah Heisz, Neora’s co-CEO. “Neora and Jeff Olson look forward to challenging the FTC’s overreach. As we said from the very beginning, we intend to defend ourselves and stand up for our industry with vigor.”

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ARIIX Wins 7 CEO World Awards

USANA’s MandanasGaston Recognized as One of Asia’s Most Outstanding Leaders

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RIIX was recently recognized with seven CEO World Awards®, including the Grand Trophy.

The CEO World Awards are an annual industry and peer recognition program honoring CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs and innovators from organizations in every industry and of every size from around the globe. The annual awards program, now in its eighth year, recognizes individuals and teams who set industry benchmarks for excellence.

Dr. Fred Cooper, the co-founder of ARIIX and current Board member for NewAge, Inc., was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award.

“It’s an honor to be named a Lifetime Achievement winner,” said Dr. Cooper. “I’m grateful for the accolade, and I still have many more lifetimes to achieve—so do ARIIX and NewAge! The awards ARIIX has garnered demonstrate our innovative and Representative-focused approach that’s always been at the core of what we do. NewAge shares the same passions, and our combined synergies make the future more promising than anyone can imagine.”

The CEO World Awards Grand Trophy is awarded to organizations that have won the greatest number of awards, demonstrating the highest excellence in business. ARIIX awards included: GOLD • Most Innovative Company of the Year | ARIIX • Lifetime Achievement Award | Dr. Fred Cooper • Outstanding Executive of the Year in Finance | Jeff Yates • Best New Product or Upgrade of the Year | LIMU BLU FROG® S ILV E R • Company of the Year | ARIIX • Best Product to Combat and Reduce the Impact of COVID-19 | Puritii™ Home Detox Winners will be celebrated and presented their awards during a virtual awards ceremony in November.

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SANA’s Aurora “Duday” Mandanas-Gaston was recently recognized as one of Asia’s “Most Outstanding Leaders.” Mandanas-Gaston received the title from one of the premier award organizations in the region, the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards.

As a regional vice president at USANA, MandanasGaston oversees the daily operations, Associate advancement and success of USANA’s Filipino, Thai and Indonesian markets. Those markets make up 8 percent of USANA’s net sales.

“Duday has dedicated her life to support and lead thousands of people within the direct sales industry and USANA in particular,” said David Mulham, USANA’s chief sales officer. “I am so proud to see her receive this very deserved award. I have been fortunate enough to see Duday grow as a leader and become one of USANA’s greatest assets in Asia Pacific. She has moved USANA to become a highly respected brand across her regions, and I believe her leadership is a big part of that success. From everyone at USANA, I would like to congratulate Duday on this much deserved recognition.”

The Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards were founded in 2014 and has become one of the most sought-after accolades in Asia. MandanasGaston was named an “Outstanding Leader in Asia” because she has demonstrated sound leadership and has successfully applied that leadership to spearhead growth and prominence for USANA.

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I N D U S T R Y N E W S For full article visit

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Isagenix Co-Founders, Shareholders Make Significant Reinvestment to Foster Growth

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sagenix International announced a $35 million investment from Co-Founders Jim and Kathy Coover and Chief Visionary Officer Erik Coover, the controlling shareholders, alongside minority shareholders Jim and Tammy Pierce.

This investment, combined with some additional funds from Isagenix, enabled the company to retire over $60 million of the principal amount of the company’s debt and to further support its current growth trends and expanding operations.

“We are laser-focused on where the Isagenix business and family are headed, and our investment underscores our optimism,” said Chairman Jim Coover. “Kathy and I are thrilled about the momentum around Isa 2.0 among our customers, our independent distributors, and our dynamic leadership team. Now is the perfect time to redouble our commitment and belief in what we’ve all built together.”

According to the company, the investment from the owners will further support the company’s current growth trajectory, ultimately bringing more products and technology solutions

to positively impact even more lives worldwide.

Since 2020 began, the Isagenix customer base has increased by 45 percent, and it has expanded its reach to 26 markets across the globe.

“Our culture is one of working and growing together to live our best lives. When you invest in something, you are making a commitment to its future promise. We see this every day when members of the Isagenix family invest in themselves,” said Isagenix Chief Executive Officer Travis Ogden. “As always, we are grateful for the vision, leadership, and partnership of the Coovers, which is instilled in the company’s very DNA.” In concert with the investment, the company’s lending partners have reconfirmed their support for the business with an amendment to their credit agreement, which will give the company greater flexibility for growth.

Pampered Chef Launches New Subscription Service

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ampered Chef launched TasteBuds, a monthly seasoning kit subscription offering.

“We know consumers are spending more time in their kitchen and endlessly scrolling through recipes just to end up serving the same chicken dinner they make every day; we designed TasteBuds with that struggle in mind,” said Terry Haley, chief marketing officer for Pampered Chef.

“TasteBuds delivers new flavors and easy-to-follow cooking methods, spicing up that go-to chicken dinner and getting

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families out of a cooking rut with fresh, inspired recipe ideas.

With this, our community of consultants and consumers can enhance and simplify their everyday cooking to ensure they aren’t sacrificing the quality time they crave with loved ones at dinner time.”

TasteBuds is available in three subscription types: monthto-month; three-month, pre-paid quarterly; and six-month, prepaid semi-annually.

Deliveries are available in the U.S. and Canada.

OCTOBER 2020

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MONAT Launches into Wellness

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ONAT Global Corp unveiled its new Wellness Collection, a four-product lineup developed in partnership with holistic expert Dr. Brent Agin.

“The keys to looking and feeling our best all boil down to three core pillars: proper nutrition, rest and exercise,” said Dr. Brent Agin. “We designed MONAT Wellness to encourage a positive, uncomplicated approach to optimizing these areas of our lives, supporting wellbeing as part of our daily routine.”

The launch marks MONAT’s third category expansion, preceded by successful hair and skincare franchises that catapulted the brand from a social selling startup to one of Inc.‘s Fastest Growing Companies in America, with more than 2 million VIP clients globally.

“MONAT is known for its commitment to healthy aging and the power of beauty, and that’s more than skin deep,” said Ray Urdaneta, MONAT co-founder and CEO. “We found our consumers were actively seeking better lifestyle products to complement their routines, and that powered us to introduce a more 360-degree approach to inner health and outer beauty.”

The new products include MONAT Balance, a pre- and pro-biotic capsule-in-capsule; MONAT Energy, a grab-andgo drink mix; Collagen Key™, a vegan support for the body’s natural production of collagen; and Total Greens, an all-in-one powder infused with 37 antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, dietary fiber to support energy, and immune health.

MONAT plans to expand the line later this year with MONAT Sleep Drops. DSN

CONTACT SALES payquicker.com/DSN solutions@payquicker.com

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Insights

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News Impacting Our Channel

Research Reveals What Workers Want Post COVID-19

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ost workers believe the COVID-19 crisis marks the end of full-time work in the office and are looking for a hybrid model that blends work and home.

That is the finding from new research from ManpowerGroup. After health concerns for themselves and their family, workers are most worried about returning to an old way of working and losing the flexibility they have gained. The Future for Workers, By Workers is the second in ManpowerGroup’s What Workers Want series. The research points to employers needing to adopt a People First approach and to reimagine a future of work that works for organizations and individuals alike—prioritizing health, wellbeing and caring responsibilities.

The survey of more than 8,000 workers in eight countries reveals workers everywhere have three key priorities for the Next Normal: autonomy and their personalized version of a Hybrid Workplace with the opportunity to work remotely, yet not all the time; learning on demand—more opportunities to learn virtually and develop skills to stay employable; and finally, One Life—a focus on blending work and family life for the long term.

“What started as a health crisis has evolved into an economic and social crisis. While thankfully a small proportion of the population will be infected by COVID-19, 100 percent of us will be impacted by it,” said Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup chairman & CEO. “The data shows us how workers around the world are feeling about returning— concerned for their health and employment security, while seeking flexibility which allows them to better balance work and home. Those organizations that prioritize emotional wellbeing and flexibility while demonstrating how they create social impact in challenging times will be best positioned 2 4 D I R E C T S E L L I N G N E W S |

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to attract and retain the best talent and ensure workers are confident, healthy and productive.”

When economic outlooks are uncertain, employability matters most to workers, with 9 in 10 workers saying simply keeping their job is most important. Yet how workers feel about a return varies by gender and career stage: • Gen-Z vs. Millennials: Gen Z’s most keen to return to the workplace to develop their careers and socialize (51 percent), while millennials are least positive (38 percent).

• Gen X vs. Boomers: Gen X value being in the workplace to concentrate and collaborate away from household responsibilities.

Boomers choose socializing and collaborating with colleagues (34 percent) as top reason to return.

• Gender Divide: Almost half of men (46 percent) feel positive about returning, only one-third of women (35 percent) feel the same. Women report feeling more concerned or nervous about the return. Both men and women rank not having to commute and having flexibility to work when convenient in their top three benefits of working from home.

• Working Parents: Men with children list spending time with their family as a top benefit to working remotely.

Women feel more negatively about going back to work, increasing in concern the younger the child—61 percent for children 0-5, 53 percent for children 6-17 and 50 percent for 18+.

For the full report go to https://go.manpowergroup.com/ futureforworkers. DSN

OCTOBER 2020

9/20/20 7:24 PM

In Memoriam Tom Mower Sr.

Neways and Sisel International Founder Tom Mower Sr. Passes Away

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om Mower Sr., the founder of network marketing companies Neways and Sisel International, passed away suddenly August 2, 2020.

Mower was born on July 15, 1942, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

He was a master storyteller and inspired millions via TV, radio, the Internet and from stage in jam-packed arenas around the world. He was a consummate entrepreneur, building at one point the 5th-largest network marketing company in the world, employing over 1,200 people.

An expert sportsman, Mower was happiest spending time with family outdoors and at his cabin. He loved hunting and fishing with his kids, leading to a massive trophy room. He endeared himself to the sportsman community by donating well over $1 million to help start the Sportsmen for Fish

and Wildlife. His generosity continued over the course of his lifetime and he gave away millions of dollars to various philanthropic organizations focusing on abandoned children, wildlife and environmental needs.

He was fond of telling his many friends, “We’re here to live life to the fullest.” He was a true patriot who loved his country and lived the American Dream as a hardworking, self-made man who not only created opportunities for his family but for myriad others. He loved people and nothing could tear him away from his passion and deep desire to help them. Through his many successful endeavors and extensive travels, he touched the lives of millions of people the world over, even holding council with the Dalai Lama. DSN

Sales@NexioHub.com NexioHub.com

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Executive Announcements

LAURE ALEXANDRE, Seldia, Executive Director The Board of Directors of Seldia, the European Direct Selling Association, today announced that Laure Alexandre has been appointed executive director.

Alexandre is an experienced EU public affairs specialist. She has 14 years in health and consumer policies, as well as in advertising principles, accumulated from previous positions at the European Advertising Standard Alliance and at Spirits Europe.

“I am confident that with her extensive background and professional experience, Laure will be an asset for Seldia and will lead the association with skills and professionalism,” said Seldia Chairman Philippe Jacquelinet.

Alexandre will be responsible for the Seldia office in Brussels. She will lead the organization’s strategy with the objective of defending the interests of its members, as well as promoting the direct selling channel as one of the main providers of independent job opportunities.

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CANDACE MATTHEWS, Amway, Appointed to Herman Miller Board of Directors Herman Miller announced the appointment of Candace Matthews to the Board of Directors and the Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee of the Board of Directors.

Matthews is the chief reputation officer of Amway Corporation.

Previously she was Amway’s regional president for the Americas and also served as Amway’s chief marketing officer.

“Candace is a visionary and dynamic leader who brings extensive corporate social responsibility, consumer marketing and brand management expertise to our board,” said Mike Volkema, chairman of the Board. “Her insights and guidance will be invaluable as we continue to accelerate our focus on becoming an even more consumerand people-centric company.”

JOHN T. FLEMING, USANA, Board of Directors USANA Health Sciences, Inc. appointed John T. Fleming to the company’s board of directors.

“I’m very pleased to welcome John Fleming to USANA’s board of directors,” said Kevin Guest, USANA’s CEO and chairman of the Board. “John is a veteran direct selling industry leader, writer, executive and consultant.

His vast experience as a direct selling executive—as publisher and editorin-chief at DSN and as a founder and CEO of his own ventures—makes him a unique and significant addition to the Board. I look forward to working alongside him to advance USANA’s business and customer experience.”

“I am honored to accept a seat on USANA’s board of directors,” said Fleming. “I am very familiar with USANA and its values, which make it a leader in nutrition and direct selling. I look forward to once again working with a world-class team and contributing to USANA’s future success.”

OCTOBER 2020

9/20/20 7:18 PM

DARREN JENSEN, LifeVantage, President and Chief Executive Officer to Step Down LifeVantage Corporation announced that Darren Jensen, the company’s president and chief executive officer, resigned from his position.

Steven Fife, the company’s chief financial officer, has been appointed interim CEO to lead the company. The LifeVantage Board of Directors intends to retain a leading executive search firm to help the company identify and appoint a permanent successor to Jensen.

In addition, the company will be combining its sales and marketing teams. The combined team will be led by Justin Rose, chief sales officer.

“During Darren’s tenure, we have driven growth in both existing and new markets through the development of key

initiatives and accelerating our international development plans. We want to thank him for his commitment to the company and wish him well with his next endeavor,” said Garry Mauro, LifeVantage Corporation’s Chairman of the Board. “As we execute on the next phase of LifeVantage’s growth, we are pleased Steven has agreed to take on additional responsibility to lead the company along with our strong leadership team. Steven has been instrumental in developing our strategic plan, enhancing our proprietary product offerings and investing in technology and digital tools. We are confident that he will continue to drive forward the strategic growth plans we have been executing.”

“We have built a solid foundation at LifeVantage with a team that is highly focused on our collective goals. I am extremely confident in our outlook for continued profitable growth. I look forward to working with the Board, our distributors and our employees to build on the positive momentum we have in place,” said Fife.

Jensen will be available to assist with the transition.

“I am extraordinarily grateful for the effort and dedication that the entire LifeVantage team has contributed to advancing our strategic plan throughout my tenure leading the company,” said Jensen. “I believe that this is the right time for me to take the next step and explore a new path, as I have great faith in LifeVantage’s position and future. With the support of its excellent team, I am confident that LifeVantage will continue to build on its accomplishments, leveraging its strong financials and compelling product offering to drive long-term sustainable growth.”

PAULO BANGERTER, doTERRA, President of doTERRA Brazil dōTERRA promoted Paulo Bangerter to president of doTERRA Brazil.

Bangerter most recently served as general manager of doTERRA Brazil, leading the company through record-setting growth the last several months.

Bangerter’s professional career spans more than three decades, with experience encompassing many high-level roles with direct sales companies, including in areas of law, operations, business strategy and geographic management.

“Paulo is an integral part of doTERRA,” said David Stirling, doTERRA CEO and founding executive. “His leadership

has set the foundation for doTERRA’s international success in Brazil, and the board has complete trust in him as he continues to guide the market through this exciting time of explosive growth.”

“I am honored to continue to work alongside so many great Brazilian leaders and support our passionate customer base,” said Bangerter. “We are seeing incredible growth because of the energy and momentum created by our wonderful Wellness Advocates and employees. We still feel like we are just scratching the surface of our potential and look forward to the great things we will achieve together.” DSN w w w . d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 2 7

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Financial Analysis Transformation Capital: Large-Cap and Small-Cap Stocks Show Gains in August

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RANSFORMATION CAPITAL reported that August saw gains for the majority of the large-cap and small-cap stocks in its tracking set.

According to the investment banking and business development firm, each of the stocks in its large-cap set remain well above their pre-pandemic levels, and the majority continue to significantly outperform the major indices. Smaller-cap stocks performed well during the month, with all but one showing gains during the period and four rising double digits.

“From a broad perspective, we believe that the direct selling industry, as a whole, is experiencing a renaissance within the domestic market,” said Stuart Johnson, CEO of Transformation Capital.

“Domestic direct selling revenues have been flat to slightly down since reaching an all-time high of more than $36 billion in 2016. It is our belief that 2020 sales will reach, and likely exceed, that record figure,” stated Johnson.

L ARGE-CAP STOCKS Two companies were added to the large-cap tracking group this month: eXp World Holdings, Inc. and Primerica, Inc. Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: NUS) led the large-cap tracking set over the course of August, rising an additional 6 percent, and now stands more than 96 percent above its February 28 closing price. The Company reported second quarter financial results after the market close of August 5.

Revenue for the quarter was $612.4 million (-1.8 percent YoY) and earnings per share were $0.81 (-2.5 percent YoY).

Herbalife Nutrition, Inc. (NYSE: HLF) declined slightly over the course of the month and closed down 4 percent for the period at a price of $49.15 per share, which is slightly off of its 52-week high of $52.89. On August 6, Herbalife reported the largest net sales quarter in its 30-year history with revenue of $1.35 billion (+8.6 percent YoY) and earnings per share of $0.95 (+36 percent YoY), which were ahead of consensus analyst estimates of $1.26 billion and $0.91 per share.

Medifast, Inc. (NYSE: MED) declined only 2.6 percent during the period. Despite this small decline, MED continues to lead the historical large- cap tracking set with gains of more than 100 percent since March 1. MED reported second quarter financial results including revenue of $220 million (+17.6 percent YoY) and earnings per share of $1.86 (+6.3 percent YoY).

Both revenue and earnings per share results were ahead of consensus analyst expectations of $195.75 and $1.84 per share.

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For the purposes of this report, Transformation Capital considers direct companies with a market capitalization in excess of $1 billion “Large Cap”.

USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (NYSE: USNA) declined approximately 3.4 percent during the month after reaching a new 52-week high in the third week of July. While the stock’s monthly decline is not substantial, it is a continuation of a trend that began following the Company’s July announcement of financial results and feels a little different than the rest of the group from a purely technical perspective.

NEW ADDITIONS eXp World Holdings (NASDAQ: EXPI) is a cloud-based real estate brokerage service for residential homeowners and homebuyers that now carries a market capitalization of more than $3 billion after rising 124 percent over the course of August and an impressive 365 percent since its February 28, 2020 closing price. On August 5 EXPI reported record revenue and earnings per share of $354 million (+33 percent YoY) and $0.11 per share, which compared to a loss of $0.04 per share in the prior year period.

Primerica, Inc. (NYSE: PRI) rose 4.66 percent during the month and now stands approximately 13 percent above its February 28 closing price. On August 5, PRI reported financial results that included revenue of $525.8 million (+4 percent YoY) and earnings per share of $2.44 (+10 percent YoY).

This is a summarized report; for more information, please contact info@transformationcap.com.

SMALL CAP All but one of the smaller-capitalization stocks within the industry has continue to outperform the DJIA since the beginning of March, and all but one rose over the month of August.

Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) rose an additional 6 percent, following an impressive gain of 225 percent during the prior month, and now stands approximately 472 percent above its February 28 closing price.

Sharing Services Global Corporation (OTC: SHRG) continued its impressive run of late with an additional gain of 27 percent during the month and now stands 1,070 percent above its levels at the end of February. SHRG, the parent Company of Elepreneurs, a health and wellness beverage Company focused on nootropics has been the top performer amongst all stocks in our tracking set since we entered the pandemic environment.

LifeVantage Corporation (NASDAQ: LFVN) rose 17 percent during the period following the reporting of financial results on August 18 that included both a sequential and YoY increase in revenue of approximately 6 percent. DSN

TRANSFORMATION CAPITAL, LLC is a boutique investment banking, business development and corporate finance advisory firm primarily focused on the direct selling vertical, as well as ancillary businesses. Located in Dallas, Texas, Transformation’s core service offerings include both buy and sell-side M&A advisory, equity and debt financing, as well as joint venture and partnership opportunities. For more information please visit our website at: www.transformationcapital.com

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Active is defined as each

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Direct Selling News is excited to present the Customer Centric

during the last six months. Active

Recognition (CCR) Program to celebrate companies that are leading the

customer and distributor counts

way toward a sustainable, customer-centric future for the industry. Qualifying

are limited to those in the U.S.

companies utilize business models that boast high customer-to-distributor

and Canada.

ratios and prioritize customer sales.

Companies must have been in business for at least one year and have a minimum of $5 million in annual revenue. Qualifying companies must attain: 5:1 up to 10:1 for Gold status and 10:1 or more for Platinum status.

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Companies who wish to learn more or submit a CCR Program Application can go to www.directsellingnews.com/ccr/ or contact editor@directsellingnews.com

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9/21/20 12:15 PM

Nominate Your Company as a Best Place to Work in 2021!

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN AUGUST 10 - OCTOBER 23!

To nominate your company, please go to www.directsellingnews.com/bestplacestowork The Best Places to Work in Direct Selling will be featured in our April 2021 issue.

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DIRECT SELLING IS THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE BUSINESS. Measuring field engagement is critical to any company’s success, but the field is only part of the people equation. Once again, Direct Selling News has partnered with HR technology company Quantum Workplace to celebrate the important role direct selling companies play as employers in the marketplace and to identify the best of the best when it comes to creating engaging work environments.

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For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Melinda Bogoslavsky at 972.402.5133 or mbogoslavsky@directsellingnews.com

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F O R W A R D T H I N K I N G

INSTAGRAM

Keeping it Reels Instagram Reels aims to capture the TikTok market with short, creative video clips.

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PPORTUNITIES FOR direct sellers to grow their business through social media continue to evolve. Instagram Reels launched in early August—just a couple days before President Trump issued executive orders that would ban the TikTok app from operating in the U.S. unless it was sold by its Chinese-owned parent company. The new Reels feature operates similarly to TikTok, which had more than 100 million users in the U.S. “With Reels, Instagram’s goal is not just to capture the now potentially up-for-grabs TikTok audience in the U.S.—it’s to steal them away even if TikTok remains,” a TechCrunch article stated.

Previously, TikTok users were primarily under the age of 25, but have quickly trended older. Numbers from Comscore show that the percentage of U.S.-based TikTok users aged 25 to 34 increased from 22.4 percent in January to 27.4 percent in April. Users 18 to 24 fell from 41.1 percent to 35.3 percent.

W H AT I T IS Reels allows you to create video clips or a series of clips to share with followers or add them to your Instagram Stories, which is the most popular feature on Instagram with around 500 million daily users. You can add music clips, captions, hashtags and filters. For those with a public account, reels can also be found in the Explore section to reach a wider audience interested in your category.

“If your reel is featured in Explore, you’ll receive a notification. Featured reels are a selection of public reels chosen by Instagram to help you discover original content we hope will entertain and inspire you,” Instagram explains.

Reels attempts to mirror several popular aspects of TikTok. The short videos (up to 15-second clips) are easy for viewers to consume and allow users to share their creativity. Deals with major record labels create a large library of music clips that are

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at the core of the flexibility and creativity of reels. Currently, analytics for reels include view count, likes and comments, but are expected to expand.

HO W T O CR E AT E W I T H R EEL S You can access Reels at the bottom of the Instagram camera with several editing options: AUDIO: Search a song in Instagram’s music library, or record your own audio. If you create your own audio, it will be attributed to you. If your account is public, others can create reels with your audio.

AR EFFECTS: The effects gallery, like other Instagram features, is created by Instagram and independent creators. You can apply filters to different clips and even combine them.

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Like TikTok, Instagram Reels allows users to create more genuine, creative content.

TIMER AND COUNTDOWN: Setting a timer allows you to record clips hands-free. Select the time of the clip and press record.

ALIGN: Lining up images or other clips creates seamless transitions that allow users to get creative with things like wardrobe changes or recipes.

SPEED: Speeding up or slowing down different clips create slow-motion or videos in light with music.

HO W T O SH A R E Reels can be shared with your followers, discovered in the Explore feature, and added to your stories or feed. Reels with certain songs, hashtags or effects can be found when people click on those specific songs, hashtags or effects. Once you’ve recorded a reel, move it to the share screen where you can save a draft, change the cover image, add captions or hashtags. A “Reels” tab will appear on your profile so followers can easily find them.

W H Y I T M AT T ER S Online content creativity continues to evolve with direct sellers. Like TikTok, Instagram Reels allows users to create more genuine, creative content. Instagram traditionally leans more toward polished, curated photos, but reels let users “pull back the curtain” to show more personality while leveraging the emotional power of music. It can be an effective way to build an online brand, share recipes, teach workouts techniques, showcase jewelry, perform makeup tutorials and more.

“Using music to engage users is one of the best parts of the social media experience,” says Iza Erskine, CEO and Founder of Keep it Social. “Music connects consumers through an emotional response, which dynamically helps build and sustain relationships. You can use reels to showcase products and brand personalities in new ways, create real, authentic content to cultivate brand trust with previous and new audiences, and educate consumers in fun 15-second videos.” DSN w w w . d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 3 5

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F O R W A R D T H I N K I N G

GAMIFICATION

Press Start

Why gamification could be a perfect fit for onboarding employees and training new distributors.

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ROPERLY AND QUICKLY training new direct sellers is critical in their initial success and retention. Incorporating gamification is one of the most popular and effective strategies for onboarding new employees in many companies outside the industry. According to MasteryWorks, Inc., “newly hired employees are 58 percent more likely to still be at the same company three years later if they had participated in a structured onboarding program.”

W H AT IS G A MIF IC AT ION ?

Some companies shy away from implementing gamification because it can conjure a stigma of playing video games as immature or even lazy. Gamification essentially involves using gaming elements such as point scoring, competition, rewards and more to increase engagement and learning. Most programs are digital but don’t have to be.

Gamification is often used to replace or operate in conjunction with orientation and training. In-office strategies can include interviewing current employees and managers, performing a scavenger hunt, or some type of point-based competition. An Aberdeen Group study found that when companies used gamification in onboarding, they increased employee engagement by as much as 48 percent and reduced turnover by one-third.

W H Y I T W OR K S “The new generation of workers want more than just a paycheck and place to work, they want to be more involved and feel a sense of purpose,” says a Forbes article. “A successful gamified process consists of linking business goals with development, frequent feedback, progress tracking, achievements and rewards, and perfectly timing the delivery of information to prevent information overload.”

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Badgeville, a leader in gamification, conducted an independent survey among their employees that showed a 90 percent increase in employee productivity since incorporating a gamified onboarding strategy.

The main point of using gamification is to make the onboarding or training process fun and interesting while helping to better retain and implement information. The user is in control, is challenged, and takes action right away while accomplishing small tasks. It also can help build comradery and friendly competition among corporate coworkers and the distributor field.

Gamification can create a good first impression and develop a sense of accomplishment (building off small wins). It can also be used for ongoing training or special promotions. It’s less focused on consuming information and more focused on interactivity as a hands-on approach.

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E X A MP L E S OF G A MIF IC AT ION EL EMEN T S Here are four of the most effective gamification elements for onboarding and training: PROGRESS BARS encourage progress and completion.

BADGES AND STICKERS encourage users to earn better and more rewards. Leaderboards can encourage activity and create competition.

LEVEL-UPS encourage users to reach higher levels, much like achieving higher ranks in direct selling companies.

REDEEMABLE REWARDS allow users to rack up rewards and cash them in for prizes, business-building tools or product samples.

Domino’s Pizza used gamification to teach employees techniques and toppings to build pizzas. It included printable resources, points and achievements. Hewlett-Packard created a scoring game to help new employees understand brand

perception, and taught how to turn people who are passive about the brand into promoters. For a direct selling industry example, ibüümerang created a team-based, baseball-themed promotion through the summer that included a real-time leaderboard and prizes.

TrainingIndustry.com explained four main learning experiences within an effective gamification program. aLearner Engagement: “Leveling through a series of quests, unlocking milestones, and accumulating rewards or status symbols motivates continued engagement.” aPractice Opportunities: “Really good games keep the learning activities at the front edge of the learning curve.

That is, activities are appropriately demanding without being too difficult.” aAssessment: “Assessment is embedded in the gameplay as performance-based activities… is continuous and measured by player actions. Now imagine assessing real-life task performance variables in the same way.

A much richer catalog of competencies and areas for improvement is produced.” aFeedback: “From points, meters, and resource allocation dashboards to immediate event feedback loops, well-designed games provide real-time feedback.

Providing both immediate and delayed feedback for choices is one of the hallmarks of great video games.” DSN w w w . d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 3 7

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F O R W A R D T H I N K I N G

MUST READS DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING: PUTTING LIFE BACK TOGETHER WHEN YOUR WORLD FALLS APART Author: Rachel Hollis (Dey Street Books, 2020)

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rom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Girl, Wash Your Face and Girl, Stop Apologizing, Rachel Hollis just released Didn’t See that Coming where she shares how to embrace the difficult moments in life for the learning experiences they are. She states that a life well-lived is one of purpose and is focused on the essentials.

With her signature humor, heartfelt honesty and true-life stories, Hollis pens a small book about big feelings. Didn’t See That Coming is inspirational, aspirational and shows that darkness can co-exist with the beautiful.

THE INNOVATOR’S DILEMMA: WHEN NEW TECHNOLOGIES CAUSE GREAT FIRMS TO FAIL Author: Clayton M. Christensen (Harvard Business Review Press, 2013)

N

amed one of the 100 Leadership & Success Books to Read in a Lifetime by Amazon Editors, this bestselling classic on disruptive innovation, by Clayton M. Christensen is cited by some of the world’s best-known thought leaders— from Steve Jobs, Malcolm Gladwell to Jeff Bezos. Christensen explains why most companies miss out on new waves of innovation. Offering both successes and failures from leading companies as a guide, The Innovator’s Dilemma gives you a set of rules for capitalizing on the phenomenon of disruptive innovation.

HAVE A LISTEN

TEN PERCENT HAPPIER with Dan Harris (ABC Audio Podcast)

D

an Harris, an ABC News anchor who had a panic attack on live TV, was led to try something he always thought was ridiculous—meditation. He went on to write the bestselling book, 10% Happier.

In this podcast, Dan explores happiness from all angles. Guests include legendary meditation teachers—from the Dalai Lama to Western masters—as well as scientists,

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and even the odd celebrity. The show ventures beyond meditation, bringing on leading researchers in areas such as social anxiety, bias, creativity, productivity, and relationships. Mental traits such as happiness, calm, generosity, compassion, and connection are not hardwired, unalterable factory settings; they are, in fact, skills that can be trained. DSN

OCTOBER 2020

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FACE

YOUR FINANCES How you feel about money is just as important as how you handle it.

B y C o - F o u n d e r

a n d

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G AY, L i m e L i f e

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HAVE BEEN blessed to watch women grow in the most extraordinary ways since we began our LimeLife journey over five years ago. By many markers, LimeLife has been successful in creating a wave of empowerment. We now have over 30,000 Beauty Guides from all walks of life in nine markets, using five different currencies, and our brand has paid out over $100 million in commission to women and men across the world.

Soon, that number will compound into $500 million and then $1 billion. Countless lives will be elevated.

During that journey, we have discovered the approach and behavior patterns that help women create a more joyful life. We have seen how a consistent abundant mindset, the sharing of talents and ideas, an immovable faith in ourselves, our mission and this business model can impact a person’s life. We can change the world by changing our individual worlds to support a transformation of ourselves into more confident, connected, and self-loving individuals as we grow as entrepreneurs and as inspiring members of our family and community.

“

I now firmly believe that the way we feel about money is one of the most significant gauges in whether or not we will be successful in anything we choose to do.

M I C H E L E G AY

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For every woman who has been moved by the personal empowerment that can come from our LimeLife community, there remains those who are stalled or completely stuck. It’s not always the case that the people who find themselves in this rut aren’t trying. Many show up to the arena responsibly and yet remain unchanged. As I have witnessed this, I have suspected that there was another powerful force at work, strong enough to greatly hinder many of us during our personal empowerment journey—a power that was not as visible as the ones we can tangibly coach away. This elusive force that holds so many of us back is wrapped up in our emotions about money.

HO W D O Y OU F EEL? After this epiphany, I embarked on a mission of studying and researching how our emotions affect our approach to our finances. Over the last year, I have been conducting interviews and collecting data from over 3,000 women. I now firmly believe that the way we feel about money is one of the most significant gauges in whether or not we will be successful in anything we choose to do.

True empowerment will require you to become financially empowered, but if you try to tackle financial empowerment with planning and strategy without addressing your emotions around money, you will most likely fail. How do you create a

consistent strategy around your credit card usage if the idea of going line-by-line over your bill makes your skin crawl? Before you can strategize, you have to face your emotions.

Most women harbor deep fear, anxiety, hopelessness, and apathy around the topic of finances. And these negative emotions have real consequences, including limiting your mindset, truncating your results and even causing breakdowns in relationships. To overcome these limiting mindsets and behaviors, I developed a four-step strategy to lead women to financial empowerment.

STEP 1 PUT YOUR BIG GIRL PANT YHOSE ON When I was a little girl, my mother always made me and my sisters go to the bank with her. For that errand and that errand only, she made us put on a dress and nude pantyhose. We would drive to the bank in our light pink Cadillac—the only car big enough at the time for a family of seven—and she would push us up to the teller, her hands on our backs so that we could have a close-up view of her moving through the transaction with her deposit book and checks. w w w . d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 4 3

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I never got to ask her why she created such pomp and circumstance around trips to the bank, but I believe she wanted to imprint on us at a young age how money demands respect, and that handling money is something women do.

According to a survey I recently conducted, only 55 percent of women are totally comfortable talking to their spouses or partners about their personal finances.

And only about 30 percent of women felt totally comfortable talking about personal finances with a parent or best friend. If you’re not totally comfortable discussing finances with the person you’re building a life with, and even more uncomfortable drawing from the wisdom of the people who love you and can serve as resources, you need to open your drawer, pull out a pair of pantyhose and put them on. They may be uncomfortable, but they will definitely help you get intentional and level up.

“

A growth mindset greatly increases a person’s probability of success and leads to a more joyful life.

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STEP 2

STEP 3

DISMANTLE YOUR PAST As you reflect on your past, you’ll discover breadcrumb trails explaining your current thoughts and emotions about money.

When you were a child, was money discussed? If so, what was the tone? Thirty-seven percent of the women I surveyed said that money was never discussed in front of them during their childhood. If you’re one of those women, perhaps that led you to develop an apathetic approach to money, which will become a limiting factor in your personal development.

If money was discussed and the tone was doom and gloom, it would be logical that you would forever associate money with anxiety, despair and hopelessness. In fact, almost 80 percent of the survey respondents indicated a negative emotion regarding their current finances. You need to unearth the origin of your emotions regarding money because the roots run deep, and there is a very good chance for them to hinder your potential.

There are so many ways women have been negatively socialized regarding money. In my case, I developed a belief that I could not be both missionminded and money-minded. Dismantling that belief in my early twenties was life-changing for me. In fact, LimeLife would not have been started if I continued to hold this belief because I would not have had the financial stability to start it. We can’t expect to rescue others from quicksand when we are standing in it ourselves.

B UIL D A R EL EN T L E S S AT T I T UDE OF FINANCIAL HOPE AND POSSIBILIT Y In 2006, a renowned psychologist named Carol Dweck discovered that an individual’s mindset could predict her future success. If individuals thought intelligence and achievement was something they were born into, they had a fixed mindset. If individuals felt intelligence was something that could be gained through hard work, they held a growth mindset.

Fixed mindsets, Dweck found, believe that: effort is fruitless, risk should be avoided, feedback is a personal attack, life should be lived within certain boundaries, challenges are too scary and the success of others should be deemed threatening.

Individuals with growth mindsets, on the other hand, believe: effort is everything, challenges should be embraced, feedback is necessary for growth, mistakes are an essential part of learning and the success of others is inspirational.

Dr. Dweck’s research has been applied to many areas, but the outcome is always the same—a growth mindset greatly increases a person’s probability of success and leads to a more joyful life.

In our industry, that growth mindset would allow a woman to not be worried about being perfect, about making mistakes or receiving judgment from others. That growth mindset would provide her a vantage point to see how the life she was born to live exists outside of her comfort zone, and that she has what it takes to go after it. When you squarely believe in your success, you emit powerful energy, communicate with passion, tackle tasks, and strategize around that belief.

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STEP 4 A C T I V E LY G O F O R T H AT E N V I S I O N E D L I F E Having a growth mindset does not mean asking the universe for things and then passively waiting for their arrival. It means waking up every day and doing the things that will make those dreams a reality.

Over 54 percent of those we surveyed said they felt anxiety or hopelessness around their current finances. Two percent more—56 percent—had those same feelings when it came to their future finances. There can be no inspiration where there is no hope.

I have witnessed women try to find the aspects of LimeLife that they are most passionate about and focus on those to keep their business moving, but that is like putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg. If you work on defining an elevated life and are motivated to go after it, you will be passionate about every income-producing action step in your business.

B UIL D Y OUR S T R AT E G Y Once you’ve successfully completed these financial empowerment steps, it’s time to create a financial and business plan that will be your foundation for success. To elevate your emotions around your current finances, try daily mantras that can undo some of the fears and anxieties you discovered while dismantling your past. For example, if you recall your parents cursing every bill as they walked back from the mailbox, then you might want to make the trip to the mailbox more fun. Chalk a hopscotch board in front of it and say out loud, “I welcome bills because I have abundant resources. These utilities provide my family with heat, water, power, all of which I can easily afford and have anticipated.”

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To reinforce your growth mindset about the future, surround yourself with people who share that same growth mindset.

To reinforce your growth mindset about the future, surround yourself with people who share that same growth mindset. I am lucky to have so many dreamers in my life, including my husband. When he and I were in some of our darkest financial moments, he would always end financial conversations with achievable dreams. One of our favorites was searching through real estate websites for a beach house and dreaming about the trips we would take during colder seasons and the nest egg we would build. After a few years, I began to see the improbable things we discussed become present in our lives.

There are many strategies that can help you, but only you can make the necessary steps and decisions to become truly financially empowered. It’s not only important for you and your life partners to have a growth mindset about your past and present finances, but it’s important to pass this type of thinking down to any children in your life. The key is to have conversations around money that are positive, hopeful and achievable. You are not only building a foundation for your future, but for the future of all those who will follow in your footsteps. Let’s make sure the path we leave behind leads to personal and financial empowerment. DSN

OCTOBER 2020

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A boutique investment banking, business development and corporate finance advisory firm with a primary focus on the direct selling vertical.

Stuart Johnson, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SUCCESS Partners and Direct Selling News, is a cofounder of the new firm. Transformation Capital’s experience and relationships are unmatched within the direct selling community.

SERVICES OFFERED INCLUDE: • Buy side and sell side M&A advisory • Equity and debt financing • Proprietary transactions • Joint venture and partnership opportunities • Institutional advisory

The firm has quickly established itself as a significant resource for direct selling industry participants and is actively engaged in the marketing of potential transactions in excess of $700 million.

Visit us on the web at: www.transformationcap.com or contact our partners directly as follows: info@transformationcap.com | 214-308-6020

Stuart Johnson, Partner | spj@transformationcap.com Ryan Bright, Partner | jrb@transformationcap.com

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I N N O VAT I O N A H E A D OF ITS TIME

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HO W T W O IND U S T R Y V I S ION A R IE S F R OM L E-V E L F OR E C A S T E D T HE NE E D F OR A N A L L-V IR T U A L W OR K P L A C E .

B Y

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& P A U L K

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“ I M A G I N AT I O N —T H E C A P A C I T Y T O CRE AT E , E V OLV E , A ND E X PL OIT MENTA L MODEL S OF THINGS OR SIT UATIONS T H AT D O N ’ T Y E T E X I S T— I S THE CRUCIAL FAC TOR IN SEIZING A ND CRE ATING NE W OPPORTUNITIES, AND FINDING NE W PATHS T O GROW TH,” MARTIN REEVES AND JACK FULLER, I N N O VAT I O N E X P E R T S A N D S C H O L A R S

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AVE YOU EVER watched children play? Notice how their imaginations transform ordinary objects and places into whatever their minds conjure in the moment.

Cardboard boxes become spaceships. A towel becomes a superhero cape. The backyard becomes a jungle.

Kids don’t let what or how things are get in the way of what and how they could be. As we get older, our ability to be innovative doesn’t go away, but we tend to lose touch with our imaginations. We are more selfconscious about being different. For kids, “the concept of ‘saving face’ is not developed or important,” writes Yoram Solomon, founder of Large Scale Creativity, in Inc. magazine. “As a result, children wouldn’t mind asking stupid questions or suggesting stupid ideas.”

Yet, being willing to try something new or to suggest something that might appear off-base or even fail is the first step toward true innovation. “Imagination—the capacity to create, evolve, and exploit mental models of things or situations that don’t yet exist—is the crucial factor in seizing and creating new opportunities, and finding new paths to growth,” say innovation experts and scholars Martin Reeves and Jack Fuller, in a recent Harvard Business Review column.

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“

Because we are a cloud-based company, it allows us to adapt and accelerate into the future so much faster than other companies, and we can afford to do it.

—PA U L G R AV E T T E , L e - V e l C o - O w n e r, C o - F o u n d e r, C o - C E O

Industries are redefined when innovative thinkers are bold enough to reimagine a familiar product, process or service. This month, we dig into examples of innovation in the global marketplace as well as within the direct selling industry and talk about the importance of recapturing that childhood creative spirit.

DIRECT SELLING’S VISIONARY GAME CHANGERS In 2012, direct selling companies in the nutraceutical category exhibited very predictable patterns. All of the giants in the space offered similar marketing techniques, expensive brick-and-mortar headquarters, and cumbersome information-laden websites with extensive training modules.

Experienced distributors and industry executives Jason Camper and Paul Gravette looked at that landscape, decided the industry was long overdue for an upgrade and set out to launch Le-Vel, a direct selling company unlike anything else in the marketplace. It was as though they instinctively understood that just because business had always been done a certain way didn’t mean it was the only way it could be done.

Having worked as a C-suite level executive in other direct selling organizations, Camper knew that one

of the biggest challenges those companies faced was their traditional corporate headquarters setup. “They couldn’t scale quickly,” Camper described. “They couldn’t make quick decisions, and they couldn’t adapt quickly. Everything was a complex hassle.”

Recognizing this overlooked room for innovation, the two used software that Jason Camper had previously created which allowed Le-Vel to be the channel’s first company created deliberately without a brick-andmortar home office and began organizing the premium lifestyle brand that would become a movement. Together, they began swimming against the industry tide.

When they announced that their company would be built and operate entirely in the cloud without any real estate attached to it, the industry took notice and then plenty of competitors scoffed. “We’re willing to go against the status quo instead of conforming,” Camper says. “I joke saying we were this unicorn coming into a balloon factory. Nobody liked us; we were different; we were doing things the opposite way and popping a lot of balloons. And maybe that made some people mad, but it also attracted a lot of people to our vision and to where we were going.”

Their willingness to innovate in an industry known for a very specific operation style gave them an immediate upper hand in several categories that competitors are still striving to catch up to today, eight years later. Le-Vel’s flexibility, for one, is unmatched.

Without a permanent home base, the company has been able to rapidly tip the scales back and forth between growth and frugality as needed, which has given the leadership breathing room for experimental innovation that might handicap other more traditional direct w w w . d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 5 1

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“

Our infrastructure allows us to be as automated as possible.

— JA SON CAMPE R, Le -Vel Co - Owner, Co - Founder, Co - C EO

selling companies with heavier, fixed budgets. “We’ve kept ourselves very nimble since day one,” Gravette says.

“Because we are a cloud-based company, it allows us to adapt and accelerate into the future so much faster than other companies, and we can afford to do it.”

The day-to-day processes of running a company without a main office may sound unconventional—because it is—but it has proven to be one of the company’s greatest assets. Without loads of staff, restrictive hours or layers of in-house bureaucracy, business moves faster and more efficiently. “Our infrastructure allows us to be as automated as possible,” Camper says. “Commission payouts, shipping and fulfillment, customer service, supply chain–all the primary foundational pieces that support and operate and manage a direct sales company–are automated at Le-Vel. We don’t have to rely on 200 to 300 employees to do every task needed to manage the business.”

Pushing themselves and their customers to new places has led Le-Vel to bring category-creating products to market—like their signature Derma Fusion Technology— but new product offerings are only a single thread in their tapestry of relentless innovation. “We don’t try 5 2 D I R E C T S E L L I N G N E W S |

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to replicate what has already been done in health and wellness,” Camper says. “We try to do something new and take a new path. That’s very apparent. From an innovation standpoint, we always want to have that true game-changer, like DFT or the Thrive Experience. One of the reasons we have become so successful is because we exhaustively focus on innovation.”

R E S P O N S I B LY R E M O T E Working remotely is a new ballgame for most direct selling companies. When the stay-at-home orders were announced, and most leaders sent their corporate staff home to work, the challenges began for those who had clung to traditional operating systems. Frantic to maintain their creative momentum, they scrambled to adapt to new methods of communication and virtual office environments. Suddenly, everyone was seeking to replicate what had been business as usual for Le-Vel for almost a decade.

Industry leaders began attempting to accelerate their acceptance of less traditional cyber options. Simple apps that served only as prospecting tools but served no real

OCTOBER 2020

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function began to be revealed for what they really were—clunky, ineffective tools—and companies amped up their urgency to provide in-app functionality, like direct sampling, that let distributors work 100 percent from their phones.

Corporate teams rapidly educated themselves on Zoom security measures and how to create online accountability for workers who had never been tasked outside of the four walls of the office and the watchful eye of their supervisor. Le-Vel, on the other hand, was free to focus on customer service, safety and expansion TAGLINED while their remote staff—who areUSAGE not onlyOF highly skilled LOGOS for their roles but also highly accustomed to working The tagline "AUDIT.TAX.ADVISORY" autonomously—collaborated from all over the globe. only accompanies the logo in circumstances where context requires “Not everyone has to be in one city or one location,” clarification about what Squire can do currentOfficer and potential customers says Le-Vel President and Chieffor Legal Drew (the audience).

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NETSUITE IS THE WORLD’S MOST DEPLOYED CLOUD ERP SOLUTION

Learn more at a briefing seminar at

One-tagline version of full color logo

Secondary-tagline version of full color logo

netsuite.squire.com ( 801) 225-6900

AUDIT · TAX · ADVISORY

context to visitors.

(continued on page 55)

On the other hand, if the team attends a national financial trade show where Squire should differentiate itself from a neighboring financial software company, then trade show banners need to include the tagline, “Audit-TaxAdvisory.”

One-tagline version of white logo

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Treat the secondary tagline like it’s part of the logo but secondary in focus to the logo itself.

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W h e n a p p r o v e d b y t h e c o m p a n y , any word usage, may be used with the

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C O V ID -19 / T H E I N N O VAT I O N M A R AT H O N Ready or not, the COVID-19 global crisis forced changes on everyone, leaving leaders with two options: innovate or get out of the way. For many direct selling companies, the rollout of social distancing precautions and stay-athome orders fell right in the middle of convention season.

With very little time to recalibrate, event planning teams switched from stadium-sized, stage-focused conferences to live-streamed and pre-recorded events. The massive traditional gatherings the industry is known for were no longer an option, but they would not be canceled. Instead, teams gathered in Zoom breakout rooms and shared the link to presentations virally over social media, while glitzy recognition ceremonies became personalized tributes.

What could have been a disaster turned into an industry boon. For one-tenth of the expense, many direct selling companies reached six to ten times the number of people, provided a higher level of engagement through digital connections and enjoyed higher sales than ever before.

In-person conventions are not extinct, but the industry was shaken awake to the realization that different can be better, more productive and much, much more profitable.

This moment of crisis is lingering longer than most companies anticipated and a topsy-turvy event season is only the first lap in what will surely be a marathon. What was previously described as “normal” is unavailable for now, but even so, it will be tempting for companies to affix new labels on old ways and call it innovation. When it comes to the next round of virtual events, this will look like a reproduction of the convention experience in digital form rather than reimagining the event altogether.

It is much easier to revert to what used to be than to continue living in crisis mode, but comfort is the enemy of the sustained forward motion generated by innovation. No external competitor can harness the power of people and relationships like direct selling, but that won’t matter if what is familiar and safe becomes preferable to the cutting-edge and inventive.

COMFORT IS THE ENEMY OF THE SUSTAINED FORWARD MOTION GENERATED BY INNOVATION

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(continued from page 53) setting. They are empowered to drive their departments and the company forward while having the freedom and flexibility of working from home. That’s been a huge benefit, and it draws incredibly talented and high quality people to Le-Vel.” COULD HEADQUARTERS BE A RELIC OF THE PAST? This historic season is a turning point for the industry.

Some companies that have formed an identity from their destination headquarters will never be officecentric again. Why? Companies will now be hiring from a workforce that demands flexibility after tasting a year or more of remote work freedom. Investors will be courting brands who can compete in a virtual marketplace, and budgets will need to be scaled down to contend with leaner competitors who can run further, faster. Not to mention the gluttonous reality of witnessing massive company estates sitting vacant while the world and the industry keep turning.

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Cloud technology allows us to target and hire the very best people throughout the U.S. and the world.

—DREW HOFFMAN, Le-Vel President and Chief Legal Officer

What has been a given for more than 100 years within the industry—lavish headquarters, multiple satellite offices and budgets fat with staff and overhead—is quickly becoming a relic. The industry will never, ever be as physical as it has been in the past. But Jason and Paul have proven through cloud-based Le-Vel that the direct selling industry can be personal, competitive and effective without those limiting factors. Teams can work together effectively from a distance. Distributors can rely on the automated processes this virtual infrastructure provides, and the brand as a whole can possess more freedom to push boundaries and try out new concepts.

This pandemic and the virtual, cloud-based life that it has necessitated are a big moment for the industry.

Where it is headed will not be the same as where it has always serenely been. And although it couldn’t have been anticipated, somehow, two visionary innovators saw it coming a decade before the rest of the industry.

Anyone wanting to stay in the game would be wise to heed their cautionary advice.

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“We operate in the cloud and so should you,” Gravette says. “If you can’t build your business via the phone, it’s probably not going to work anyway.”

LEARNING FROM THE DISRUPTORS The obvious giant of creativity and game disruption is Amazon. After Amazon untethered retail sales from the in-person experience, it continued to personalize and shape the consumer experience through artificial intelligence, or AI. It was a template that would be repeated through Chatbots who answer customer service questions and mimicked by Google ads that tailor content to align with browsing histories and social media posts.

Just as Amazon took advantage of its AI resource as part of its innovative strategy, so too have gig economy pioneers led the way in capitalizing on underutilized assets. Airbnb, Lyft and Uber have built entrepreneurial kingdoms by providing pathways for people to benefit from the combination of their own preexisting physical resources and the companies’ digital platforms.

To have an advantage over the biggest names in the innovation game, like Amazon, a company would need to provide the same efficient customer service experience but create an enhanced interpersonal connection that no AI could provide. In other words, they would need to tap into an underutilized asset that these giants don’t have access to.

The direct selling industry is poised to do just that, with its hundreds of thousands of members, but it will require teaching distributors how to embrace their own underutilized asset—time—to create a marketdisrupting, personalized experience for customers. DSN

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With Brent Willis and Dr. Fred Cooper of NewAge, Inc. B Y PAT R IC I A W HI T E

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E

XCITING THINGS have been happening with NewAge Beverages and ARIIX. In July, a partnership formed between the two companies, and a new name was adopted. With Dr. Fred Cooper and Brent Willis as the CEOs, NewAge, Inc. is now a global firm with an estimated pro forma revenue in excess of $500 million. Together they have created a global enterprise—and the only omnichannel company in direct selling with access to e-commerce and direct-to-consumer channels in more than 75 countries. Recently, I had the pleasure of a Zoom interview with both of these dynamic gentlemen.

In just three short years, NewAge Beverages saw growth from $2M to $254M for the year ended December 31, 2019, and with the merger, you will now be over $500 million in combined revenue. Can you share what you consider to be the factors of your success?

Brent Willis: The keys to our success for both companies are threefold. Both NewAge and ARIIX are very purpose-driven companies. We stand for something, and it is at the very core of our being and what we stand for. Number two, we cascade that purpose to all of our teams to build a very powerful culture. It is a culture of winning, a culture of performance and doing whatever it takes to be successful. The third key to success is about disruption. We have a disruptive strategy and strive to flawlessly execute that strategy. Being purposedriven, having a strength of culture and being disruptive in every aspect of the businesses have led to our success.

Dr. Fred Cooper: I want to add that NewAge and ARIIX both have an inherent belief that the field is first at all costs. It is the primary principle that governs us. We believe that our reps are our business. They create our brand and our image. We can only do well and succeed when the reps know they are of paramount importance to us.

“

With the recent mergers and acquisitions, what are your plans and predictions for the rest of 2020 and beyond?

Dr. Fred Cooper: We want to see a milestone pinnacle that has never been accomplished in direct sales. We want to merge two dominant organizations, both of which are successful. We will merge cultures, philosophies and bring them together so that instead of two families—we have a united blended family. We want to set an example that two organizations can come together and that blended families do work, and they work very effectively.

Brent Willis: When I look at the rest of 2020 into 2021 and beyond, one word comes to mind—MORE—more growth, more opportunity for everybody, more markets, more brands. I feel like we are very inclusionary and accepting as a group.

We love all of the different aspects, and we champion all of the different brands in our group (from LIMU, MaVie, Zennoa and Noni).

We want everyone to share in the wealth creation and monetization of this very strong public company.

We have the right public and financial foundations.

This translates to wealth creation for our reps that earn shares and for all of the other companies or brands that want to join us. We want to be seen as a very productive, inclusionary harbor. For all of the ships in the industry, in a sea of increasingly choppy economic water—we can be that safe haven for them. A haven where everyone sees the benefit of being bigger and protected while still maintaining your identity and monetizing it for your people— that is attractive! We want to be inclusionary going forward, and we want more! More growth and resources for everyone in our fields.

This isn’t about we take you over––It is about you join us. This is a message of invitation.

— Dr. Fred Cooper

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What approach will set NewAge apart?

Dr. Fred Cooper: We want to build $100 million global brands within our direct sales umbrella—a house of brands of sorts, where individuals can affiliate with particular brands and services they want. With this model, you can have a smorgasbord of your choice of products you love, which have made a difference in your life and you can advocate for others to use.

There is also the product lifecycle to consider. As the retail sector sees the demand and introduce, like products, the prices fall. Direct sellers are left with a conundrum.

How can we lower the price and pay commissions and not be left with an overpriced product? So, we have become a house of brands, and our field is learning about new brands.

Innovation through the collaboration of scientists, research organizations and product development companies, they introduce their products in the U.S. We introduce them exclusively to our brands and representatives. They always have something novel and new to talk about.

As those products go into the product lifecycle, price becomes the competitive factor. We have what we call value pricing for additional purchases that are made by a representative. Now, they don’t make as much commission on those particular products, but they make more commissions because we have a greater wallet share coming out of each representative. So, the consumer feels like they are getting a better value, and the reps are not taking a pay cut on commissions.

Brent Willis: Just as we’re innovating in terms of product, product lifecycle and portfolio of healthy products, we’re also innovating in route to market. This is really what omni-channel is. We’re not just a direct selling company.

We are a direct selling company. We are e-commerce. We are direct-to-store, and we have access to traditional retail.

Consumers don’t just shop in the direct selling channel.

They buy off of Amazon. They buy off of individual websites and shop now from Instagram. So, the entire shopping behavior worldwide with millennials and Gen Z’ers, which is more than 50 percent of the global population, is changing.

From a route-to-market standpoint, our goal is to be at every single one of those consumer touchpoints. We know that you can’t sell one brand or one product in more than one channel because you have anarchy, but you can have dedicated products for dedicated channels and meet all of those consumer touchpoints. This is what we do. We hope to provide our reps earnings streams from more channels.

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a way that’s really differentiated and innovative, and one of the things that the reps love about where we’re taking the company going forward.

What factors make NewAge see direct selling as an essential sales channel?

Brent Willis: If you look at every single region in the world, North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia, the largest driver of purchase intent for consumers is word of mouth in their social feeds. This makes this a perfect unique time for our industry. That’s why we are doubling down on the direct selling and e-commerce aspects of our business because it is how consumers are making their purchase decisions. We want to be the Uber for CPG as part of this new shared economy. We see it very differently of where consumers are going in the future, not just in terms of how they purchase, but also for the needs of millennials and Gen Z’ers. Everybody needs a little bit of extra income these days, and we provide that opportunity in a very low cost of entry.

We’re really focused on putting reps first, and we try to make it successful for them. We really want to provide that respite for consumers. That’s why we’re seeing people joining our system worldwide in droves.

Dr. Fred Cooper: In terms of the attractiveness of this business model versus other kinds of business models, we realize that word of mouth is it in advertising. We are letting our reps know that it is more than just recruiting someone into multi-level marketing—it is about the acquisition of customers who have no intent on earning commissions but have a genuine conviction because they have had a transformational experience with those particular products. What we are going to be doing in the future is pushing this customer acquisition platform—not because of legal requirements or regulator concerns—but because we believe in the products.

Brent Willis: We’ve got more than 400,000 reps in our company now working. Joining us because we have, what we stand for, our bill of rights for reps and the condition systems that we think are the most attractive in the industry. But going forward, we’ll still build on that number of reps, but as Fred talked about, we want to build more customers.

We want hundreds of thousands of reps and hundreds of millions of consumers.

This issue of DSN is focused on Innovation. Can you describe how NewAge is innovative in the industry?

Brent Willis: Innovation doesn’t come from looking at the future. Innovation comes from looking around, and Fred looked around and said, “Here are the problems I see in this

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We want hundreds of thousands of reps and hundreds of millions of consumers­.

—Brent Willis

industry.” He went to go fix that with the Bill of Rights for reps, with a unique compensation system, with an ability to acquire and integrate companies and to drive growth.

We did similar things on the NewAge site. So together, we are taking this disruptive by design model and having growth through collaboration. So, this is a winning team with a great vibe. We are looking for advance through collaboration and disruptive innovation!

Can you share your strategies and thoughts on branding and product diversity?

Brent Willis: Our branding approach is that we want to build $100 million-dollar brands and invite other scale brands to join in. As a public company, one of our greatest assets are the intangible assets on our balance sheet which comes from brand value. We focus on three omni-channel brand platforms: Health and Wellness, Inner and Outer Beauty and Nutritional Performance. We never compromise on the efficacy and quality and superior functionality of each one of our products. So, we try to be the best in what we do in terms of true functional performance. We are following consumer trends with sustainable packaging, clean ingredients and addressing fundamental human needs states. We are working toward multiple organic growth initiatives: Noni/immunity shot, TeMana Shape expansion, Noni + CBD expansion, the LUCIM skincare launch and the core brand Tahitian Noni evolution.

Dr. Fred Cooper: The bottom line is when you are going after consumers—they only care about two things. Value and that get what the pay for—conformance to specification.

And fitness for use. It does what we claim it will do. No more, no less. In our industry, hyping people up on a product that doesn’t work to earn money isn’t going to work anymore.

That’s got to change. So, the big passion has to be—look, try our products and see if you notice a difference. Then share your story and success. When we focus on it in this matter— that’s when the money comes.

What is the goal for the future of NewAge? Brent Willis: Combined NewAge now has a greater global reach in our focus markets in Japan, China, Europe and the Americas. We have penetration in over 75 markets and by having a larger global footprint benefits each channel which contributes to overall growth. We also have exposure in emerging markets. We have a new office in Brazil, which is one of the largest direct selling markets, and a focus in South Africa. Through this system, we are building and driving this disruptive portfolio and disruptive route to market to enable ourselves to win and grow the business.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?

Brent Willis: We have only been working together for a couple of months, but it is so easy and symbiotic. We each have relative strength, and we are building on those strengths. We share the same view that reps come first.

This isn’t about an acquisition or a merger. All of that is very paradigm language. This is about two major companies coming together because we know we can do more. We know we can do more for the leaders. We know we can take the best of everything we have and build on that and become much more disruptive and much more powerful, much stronger for the benefit of all the leaders and everybody that touches this company. We have this very good public company that we think is the best public company structure in the entire industry. Everybody can benefit from that. I feel it every day that is just so easy with this partnership between Fred and the rest of the leadership team because we’re just focused on doing whatever it takes to win. It’s just easy.

Dr. Fred Cooper: Our company has been acquiring companies, learning and getting better at this as we bring them all together. This isn’t about we take you over—It is about you join us. This is a message of invitation. So, sit back and see if this merger isn’t everything we said it was. See if it becomes a team. And if that’s the case, you might want to consider that you can be part of a larger organization.

People will see that …I can be my brand. I can promote and take care of my field. I can monetize and be apart of a larger infrastructure. Consider joining the team because it really is all about winning and not about competing or being right. That’s what we’re trying to establish. I have been the company that’s been doing acquiring other companies, and by all means, now my company has been converted to NewAge. So, what was good for the goose has been good for the gander, and I hope people will watch that in the industry and say, “Wow, ARIIX was doing it—now it has been to them.” It will be like a moth to a flame. People will see that fire burning in us and be attracted to it. DSN w w w . d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 6 1

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From Local Shop to Global Brand An American dream transforms a flagship product into “whole body wellness” for consumers worldwide.

BY COURTNEY ROUSH

A

CCORDING TO 2018 statistics provided by the Direct Selling

ALEXY GOLDSTEIN

FOUNDER AND CEO

NEW U LIFE CORPORATION

Association, wellness remains the largest product/service category with 33.8 percent of industry sales. So, it is

no easy feat for a health and wellness company to distinguish itself in the wellness direct sales category—but New U Life has done just that!

FOUNDED:

2017 HEADQUARTERS:

Pleasant Hill, CA TOP EXECUTIVES:

Alexy Goldstein, Founder and CEO PRODUCTS:

Health and wellness

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ts flagship product, SomaDerm®, sold 2.5 million units in the previous 12 months reported by Vice President of Marketing Jeremy Wardle. The company describes SomaDerm as a “comprehensive solution to endogenously— meaning naturally—increase the body’s mechanisms for increasing growth hormone,” says Kenton Engel, Vice President of Compliance. In more basic terms, the nutraceuticals found in SomaDerm increase the body’s natural growth hormone production response—with one specific herb, Mucuna pruriens, known commonly as the velvet bean, shown in some independent evidence to increase natural production by up to 800 percent. While that may sound outlandish, thousands of New U Life distributors and customers in North America and the Asia Pacific are touting benefits including improved sleep, reduced fat, increased muscle and better joint and bone health.

You may have heard of HGH (Human Growth Hormone, sometimes referred to as GH or Growth Hormone). We reach our peak production of HGH around age 20. Around age 25, our supply begins to take a nosedive, at which point the aging process related to its deficiency begins. Increased fat storage, decreased muscle strength, lower skin elasticity and decreased energy levels are associated with diminishing HGH stores.

Some believe replenishing our HGH supplies can turn back the clock—delivering benefits including those described above.

However, HGH traditionally has been available only through a prescribed injection. SomaDerm aims to increase consumers’ access to HGH via a gel that’s safe and painless to apply.

Homeopathy, which when translated from its Greek origins, means “like disease,” is defined as “the practice of medicine that embraces a holistic, natural approach to the treatment of the sick.” Developed in Germany more than 200 years ago, homeopathy is based on two theories: first, that “like cures like,” or the idea that a substance that causes symptoms in a healthy person may be used in diluted form to treat those symptoms and the associated illnesses; and second, the “law of minimum dose,” or the theory that the more diluted the substance, the greater the potency.

THE AMERICAN DREAM CEO and Founder Alexy Goldstein is “the quintessential definition of the American dream,” Wardle says. He immigrated to the United States as a teenager, graduated high school and was preparing for his freshman year at Fresno State 6 4 D I R E C T S E L L I N G N E W S |

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Its flagship product, SomaDerm®, sold

2.5 million units

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University when he earned the keys to the family business: a small shop selling natural foods and nutritional supplements.

Goldstein went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in business, juggling his coursework with his responsibilities as a store owner. Inspired by the spirit of entrepreneurship, he began researching how to develop his own product line and reach more customers and went on to become both a Certified Homeopath and a Certified Herbalist.

Over the years, Goldstein spearheaded the development of multiple products including SomaDerm, which originally was created to assist athletes during recovery. For 16 years, SomaDerm attracted a loyal following of athletes. Still, it wasn’t until Goldstein discovered the direct selling channel in 2017—through a friendship with now-Master Distributor Joe Juliano—that the product gained unstoppable momentum. “It took off like wildfire,” Wardle says, adding that a significant factor behind SomaDerm’s success is the fact that it’s not a “me-too” product. It’s the only transdermal HGH product registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) available without a prescription. Wardle adds that a large number of hormone therapy doctors use the gel in their practices as a homeopathic way to support their patients.

R APID GROW TH AND EXPANSION SomaDerm’s growth in popularity has been rapid, but like any other success story, this one involves perseverance and sacrifice. Goldstein chose to fund New U Life by himself without any outside investment. Creating the infrastructure of his direct selling company—from building an independent sales force organically to establishing an electronic payment system—required patience and faith. Once the infrastructure was in place, however, the company’s real growth began. By the end of New U Life’s first year in business in 2018, the company had generated approximately $60 million in sales from SomaDerm alone. Headquartered in Pleasant Hill, California, with its largest office in Lehi, Utah, New U Life serves distributors and their customers throughout the United States, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and serves customers in China.

Goldstein maintains his original Pleasant Hill, California, Natural Life Foods shop along with additional locations throughout the state. Goldstein still works out of his flagship shop every day. He maintains multiple headquarters offices in Lehi, Utah; Pleasant Hill, California; and Taipei, Taiwan.

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A PIONEERING MISSION New U Life’s mission is to “pioneer new products that unify body and mind and connect you to a transformation that enriches life through opportunity,” while its philosophy is “to achieve whole body health through a balance of nature and science in products that inspire, innovate and connect.”

Within the New U Life corporate organization and out in the field, there’s undeniably a significant focus on SomaDerm. In fact, Alexy calls the gel “liquid gold,” and it’s the only product sold by distributors in its international markets. In the long term, however, the company has its sights set on what it calls “whole body health,” and to that end, it’s working on promoting its other product lines: FortressTM, a daily supplement designed for immunity support; and its Keto Line of products: KetoDay, KetoNight, KG4 and KetoGen4, created to enhance the body’s ability to remain metabolically engaged around the clock and reach peak levels of ketosis. A nootropic product focused on brain health is scheduled to be launched in the fall, most likely at the company’s online convention in late September.

All New U Life products are manufactured in the United States, and each has been designed as a category creator.

Ultimately, Wardle says, “we want our other products to be independent and self-sustaining,” much like SomaDerm has. With that objective in mind, the company just wrapped up its New U Life Whole Body Challenge hosted by Certified Nutritionist and Keto expert Thomas Delauer, which awarded over $100,000 in cash prizes to entrants with the most inspirational health transformation stories. “We support our product lines standing on their own through initiatives like these,” Wardle adds.

The company doesn’t share the details of its research and development; “it’s highly proprietary—our trade secrets are ours,” Wardle says. “We’re not seeking patents. We’re 100 percent protecting our IP, and we have specific vendors just for us. It’s very lock and key.” However, what is public is New U Life’s Scientific Advisory Board, comprised of leaders in medicine and academia, who provide insight and direction to the company.

C O R P O R AT E C U LT U R E A N D I N VA L U A B L E EXPERIENCE New U Life maintains an employee base of around 130 who serve an independent sales force of 395,000. Like any family,

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To have come from a single storefront to a wholehealth movement of nearly 400,000 distributors and counting, and with expansion in markets throughout the world just three years into our direct selling journey, is nothing short of amazing.

—ALEXY GOLDSTEIN, Founder and CEO

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this one has weathered growing pains and scaled its share of hurdles. “We’re learning every single day, but friction and traction only strengthen our bond. We can have open debates,” Wardle says. His team is represented exclusively by people who worked previously at long-established companies. Being a part of a new organization and playing a role in product development from start to finish has provided them with an invaluable educational experience.

A FOCUS ON DISTRIBUTORS, DEVELOPMENT AND GROW TH New U Life’s current focus is on global retention. A loyalty rewards program for distributors and customers is also under discussion. Additionally, Wardle adds, the company will continue to focus on ensuring that its compensation plan is as attractive as possible for potential distributors; “putting money in the wallets of our distributors as soon as possible is the quickest way to retain them.”

Compliance is another significant focus for New U Life— and it’s a timely one. “We have to be so careful not to make claims about immunity or virus defense. Our Compliance Department is world-class, and we’ve had excellent cooperation from our distributors,” says Vanessa Pierce, Vice President of Legal and New U Life’s General Counsel. The company’s Compliance and Legal teams, she adds, start with the “why.” It’s an educational process that’s collaborative and allows distributors to be independent.

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THE PANDEMIC CHALLENGE Like any other direct selling company, New U Life has had to grapple with the pandemic’s effects on its employees and distributors—namely, the immediate shift to remote work and determining how best to support and motivate both of these groups during an uncertain time. Wardle says the company has seen tremendous growth in its distributor base during the pandemic, which he believes is attributable in part to increased interest in entrepreneurship driven by the simple desire to diversify one’s portfolio and establish additional sources of income to weather times like these. On the corporate side, New U Life has welcomed new hires and onboarded them remotely.

“I’ve been surprised by our growth during this virus,” Wardle says. “To grow an organization this way has been a challenge, but it’s something we’ve learned we can do.”

Pandemic or no pandemic, expansion continues for New U Life; additional markets in the Asia-Pacific region—Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia and New Zealand—are scheduled to open in 2020 and 2021.

U FUND PHIL ANTHROPY New U Life doesn’t have a 501c3 yet, but the company hasn’t waited to start putting its money behind worthy causes. Each of its 15 executives has been presented with a sum of money to be given to the charity or charities of their choice. The endeavor has been dubbed the “U Fund.” Donations will be announced this month. The opportunity to handpick a worthy

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“

I’ve been surprised by our growth during this virus. To grow an organization this way has been a challenge, but it’s something we’ve learned we can do.

—JEREMY WARDLE, Vice President of Marketing

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In just three short years, and through sheer determination, Alexy Goldstein has turned a product with a loyal following into a direct selling powerhouse that’s only scratched the surface of its potential for success.

“It’s been an incredible ride. To have come from a single storefront to a whole-health movement of nearly 400,000 distributors and counting, and with expansion in markets throughout the world just three years into our direct selling journey, is nothing short of amazing,” says founder and CEO Alexy Goldstein. “Our products are a big part of our success, but our leaders are what made it happen—and they’re continuing to make it happen even during this challenging time for so many companies. I have every confidence that our future is looking brighter than ever.” DSN

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recipient is “one of the most fun ‘kid in the candy store’ things I’ve gotten to do in a long time,” Pierce says. “I can’t choose.”

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STRATEGY, PLANNING and CREATIVE Pampered Chef Delivers a Record-Setting, Virtual Event.

B Y

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HALLENGES OFTEN bring about our greatest advancements. The current event environment is

just one of those opportunities. Finding new ways to meet with those we serve has become the lead topic

in many conversations. Since the beginning of the human gathering, mediums have been, well, just mediums. The real answer lies in connection, humanism and quality interaction. The virtual strategy you engage should embody that experience.

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Attendance was five times greater than their traditional “live” event. Revenue doubled. Experience was irreplaceable.

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SING AN example or case study is one of the best ways to see how a strategy translates through the planning, execution and evaluation process. Here is the story of how Pampered Chef developed and produced its first virtual, National Conference.

THE OBJECTIVES The objective was to produce an exhilarating multi-day event that engaged their community of consultants, while serving as both their 40th Anniversary Celebration and National Conference. It needed to include product launches, annual recognitions, educational programming, presenters, social media engagements, entertainment and an energizing keynote address.

Additionally, a goal of the conference was to ensure a distinctive, high-quality immersive event through every attendee’s experience, thereby aligning with, and amplifying the legacy brand’s purpose of “enriching lives.”

Lastly, the event’s fit and finish, transitions, spatial branding, design and interactive graphics were expected to be connected, seamless, beautiful and elevated.

THE CHALLENGES Deliver the aspirational attributes of Pampered Chef’s historical live experience for its North American consultants—intimacy, energy and the self-improving ambition of “making every day better”—during a global pandemic which has become America’s constant 7 2 D I R E C T S E L L I N G N E W S |

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We were challenged with creating, producing and executing an event where over 20,000 consultants could safely ‘stay away, while staying close’ through feelings of intimate engagements and brand activations. contagion. We were challenged with creating, producing and executing an event where over 20,000 consultants could safely “stay away, while staying close” through feelings of intimate engagements and brand activations. In essence, we were tasked with creating what were termed “Being Together. Apart.” Historically, all brand events have been live, in person, at a centrally located U.S. large scale theater or convention center.

T HE S T R AT E GIE S Build a supporting strategy. Pampered Chef was encouraged to dream along with the event production team confidently. So that indeed, an event could be designed to deliver the broadcasting of human connection.

This was accomplished through a virtual live grid event system. The platform included inventive properties like four custom studio broadcast sets, live comments, social media aggregation, e-commerce integration, virtual breakouts, coaching portals and even live entertainment.

Each live studio broadcast set was designed as its own vignette, using the client’s corporate offices as

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The emotional equity soared as well as attendees, called it the “best conference they have ever attended,”

23,988

Registered Attendees

63,159

Live Comments

160,362

Live Video Views

466,598

Unique Page Visits

the “safe, live space.” Next, each space incorporated an omnichannel approach, social and interactive on iPhones and iPads, and viewership on TV monitors, as well as large digital displays at various watch parties, creating human interaction and energy throughout.

Presenter stages were produced with video rolls and graphic content giving glitz and stylishly showcasing keynotes, while “conversation corners” were constructed for more intimate, two-way connections.

Traditional sets were juxtaposed with a modern layering of mediums, engagements and scenes, positioning each interaction within a feel of personal premiumization—more like a live, well-flowing TV broadcast—professional, exciting and engaging.

To ensure that all experiences were accessible and easy to use, as well as convenient and comfortable to the user, the best practice information design and technology to journey-map the event’s entire architecture was employed.

M E A S U R E D R E S U LT S Deep insights were garnered for Pampered Chef through granular, real-time data points, offering impressive analytics of user movement, viewership, engagement, likeability, revenue and event preferences.

Combining metrics with real-time attendee feedback allowed Pampered Chef to assess success in a very different way by measuring time spent on different aspects of the event.

Attendance was five times greater than their traditional “live” event. Revenue doubled. Experience was irreplaceable.

Pampered Chef hosted a new way to meet. What was once in a ballroom with a maximum of 4,500 attendees, revenue capped, and space contained, was transformed into exponential attendance with nearly 24,000 participating consultants, revenue enhanced, and space unbound.

The emotional equity soared as well as attendees, called it the “best conference they have ever attended,” and stated, “the convenience was wonderful, no traveling…yet the experience remained remarkable.”

Customizable, integrative and interactive—their brand was expressed beautifully, fully and safely.

This case study teaches us how delivering an emotional connection, strategic alignment and personal and professional relevancy is not driven by the event platform selected, but rather the creative impact you want your w w w . d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 7 3

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audience to feel. Here are a few tips to help you bring deeper value, what we call “knowing” to every attendee’s virtual event experience: 1. Identify specific event objectives. Is the objective to recognize achievements, introduce new products, train, inspire, motivate, build relationships or a combination of several? Be deliberate and realistic with what can be achieved within your meeting time.

2. Build a strategy that supports those objectives and allows audiences to engage with them. Even if a concept sounds interesting and unique, if it does not support your strategy, wait and use it during a more appropriate event.

3. Approach content from a TV perspective, versus the traditional live approach. Keep segments short as opposed to traditional length keynotes, where it is easy for viewers to walk away from their viewing device.

By incorporating a live studio component, Pampered Chef was able to effectively deliver on their virtual event strategy.

If some of the tips above sound familiar to an in-person event, it’s because they are. After all we are still connecting people’s brands, products and services to one another.

Translating these ideas via a virtual platform just gives us unique messaging opportunities.

By incorporating a live studio component, Pampered Chef was able to effectively deliver on their virtual event strategy. Pushing the stream through a robust online platform allowed for a thematic, brand-right experience that delighted consultants. For your next virtual event, begin with a solid plan and keep your audience’s experience front of mind. DSN

BILL STOCK, VICE-PRESIDENT, CREATIVE & MARKETING

4. Leave your audience wanting more! “More” is not always “More” in the Virtual Event Space.

L!VE (FORMERLY IACONO)

5. If budget allows, offer giveaways, gamifications and entertainment elements to keep your audience engaged in the program.

AND L!VE FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS. HE WORKS CLOSELY

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BILL STOCK HAS BEEN DEVELOPING CREATIVE EVENT STRATEGIES IN THE DIRECT SELLING SPACE FOR IACONO WITH SALES, CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TO DESIGN AND DELIVER EVENTS FOCUSED ON HIGH-TOUCH EXECUTION AND ENGAGEMENT.

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COMMUNICATE CONSISTENTLY & INTUITIVELY Smart Communications • Personalize communications with representatives ✓ Just-in-time training based on user behavior ✓ Follow-up reminders ✓ Automated follow-up reminders ✓ Event notifications • Engage with shoppers ✓ Sample, discount, coupon or product offers ✓ Product follow-ups ✓ Referral requests ✓ Retargeting campaigns

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B Y K I N D R A

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H A L L

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SHE’S STICKING

TO IT

T HI S S T O R Y T E L L IN G E X P E R T S H A R E S H O W T O T R ULY C O NNE C T W I T H P R O S P E C T S

I

FELL IN LOVE with stories and storytelling when I was 12 years old on a road trip with my family. We were in the minivan.

Traveling north down rural Minnesota roads on the way to our small lake cabin for the weekend, my younger brother started playing a cassette tape of incredible tales told live by different storytellers at the National Storytelling Festival. And though we varied in age and interests, the four of us listening on that drive were all equally captivated. We laughed until we cried for all of Side A and most of Side B until we arrived at the cabin. We were the most united I ever remember, and all it took were a few stories.

That was one of a handful of vivid memories from my childhood when I witnessed and experienced the grip a story can have on an individual, the glue it can become for a group.

Pretty soon afterward, I started to tell stories myself. And several years later, won the opportunity

to take the stage at the very festival where that roadtrip cassette tape was recorded. So I traveled with my mother to Jonesborough, Tennessee, where every October people from all over flood a no-stoplight town and gather under enormous tents to listen to master storytellers at what amounts to the Super Bowl of yarn-spinning.

The tellers aren’t there to sell a product or promote an agenda, but rather to connect the people who squeeze into those tents by the thousands. I watched and listened as the tellers’ stories mesmerized the crowd and had the distinct sense that the impact of storytelling went beyond what meets the eye.

When the festival concluded, my mother and I traveled back to the airport together. She looked at me and said, “You could do this, you know. You could be a professional storyteller.” I scoffed at her and rolled my eyes, as is teenage custom. “Oh yeah. I’m going to tell stories for the rest of my life. Sure.”

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F E A T U R E / S T O R Y T E L L I N G

And though she now likely feels the urge to say, “I told you so” to me on a daily basis, I like to think we were both right because, yes, since that moment, stories have been my life; they are what I do, they are what I know, they are how I earn my income and how I make my difference.

Just as my family came together in the van during that drive to the cabin, so do stories unite far-flung teams, connect customers to brands, and close the gaps that divide us.

I’ve even seen how a good story can solve for what may be the trickiest question of a direct seller’s career: How do you nail the dreaded elevator pitch?

As it happens, this story occurs on an actual elevator, when I stepped in and three people followed behind me—a young woman and two young men. We were on Floor 3 of the airport, they were going to Floor 4, and I was riding to Floor 5.

The door closed, and the woman turned to her friends; “Do you know where my parents are right now?” They shook their heads. “They’re at a burial service for my grandfather’s friend who died at Pearl Harbor. They just found the body, and they’re going to pay their respects to Good Ol’ Mike.”

With that, the doors opened, and the trio stepped off, leaving me alone in the elevator, my jaw on the floor. A Pearl Harbor K INDR A HALL HAS A NE W ROLE body found only now!? I almost jumped AT S U C C ES S M A G A Z I N E out after them, but the heavy steel doors slammed shut; mocking both my curiosity A master spoken word ar tist podcast SUCCESS Stories with and hesitation. who has turned her passion Kindra Hall, available now.

For decades, sales and marketing experts into exper t advice and coaching have been trying to perfect the elevator for business leaders, sales “Beyond my work and research pitch. How does one deliver enough and marketing teams and about the power of stor y telling information and create enough intrigue for direct selling fields, Kindra both in business and in life, I a prospect that if you had only a one-floor Hall has signed on as the new can’t help but think about my elevator journey together, they would want Chief Stor y telling Of ficer own journey to success and the to learn more. at SUCCESS, the national people who went before me,” Certainly, this traveler wasn’t trying to newsstand magazine focusing Hall says. “ Their willingness to on the personal development of share their stories, the good, sell anything, but that’s exactly the point. entrepreneurs and side hustlers. the bad and the ugly, lif ted me in Her elevator pitch wasn’t a pitch at all: It times of struggle, made me feel was a story. Here are four simple steps to The par tnership began with normal when things were hard, transform your 30-second pitch into a story her cover stor y in the recent and kept me motivated when I they absolutely have to hear.

September/October issue of the heard of their triumphs. These Then they connected with their suppliers magazine, focusing on previously are the kinds of stories I will be and challenged them to develop innovative untold tales of dynamic women. seeking and sharing with the plans so the changing needs of their She also hosts the brand new SUCCESS audience.” customers would be met.

TA L E T O T HE C HIE F

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3

DISCONNEC T FROM THE OUT COME; LE T THE ST ORY DO IT S JOB

Y O U R S T O R Y M U S T H AV E CHARACTERS

In the Pearl Harbor story, there were several actual people: the woman’s parents and Good Ol’ Mike, to name a few. Instantly I connected to the message. I have parents, I can relate. I can picture Good Ol’ Mike.

Who are the characters in your company’s story? Was there a friend who helped get it started? Who is a customer you served? Characters make the story interesting. Don’t leave them out of your pitch.

2

L E AV E O U T D E TA I L S ( A L M O S T ALL OF THEM)

It will be difficult to resist mentioning what year you launched, or the features of your product, or the year-over-year revenue growth, but resist you must. All of those facts and bits of information are utterly forgettable.

If you only have a few moments with someone, use it to engage their imagination and fall into your story.

THE CHIEF STORYTELLING OFFICER FOR SUCCESS MAGAZINE, HALL IS ALSO THE BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF STORIES THAT STICK, A SOUGHT -AFTER SPEAKER AND THE PRESIDENT OF STELLER COLLECTIVE, A MARKETING AGENCY FOCUSED ON THE POWER OF STORYTELLING TO OVERCOME COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES.

What if Martin Luther King Jr. told the world about the dream he had, and then asked people to please leave their business cards in a bowl at the back of the Mall? Spend time developing a compelling story that becomes the beginning of a relationship versus a death-by-poorlyexecuted-pitch.

The next time you have to explain what you do in the amount of time it would take to ride from one floor to another in an elevator, use these simple steps and choose to tell a story that leaves your listener begging for more.

4

YOUR ST ORY NEEDS A SENSE OF WONDER, INTRIGUE, OR M YSTERY

World War II, Pearl Harbor, and finding the remains of a forgotten soldier decades later is heavy on intrigue.

Your pitch can tap into this same element of disbelief. Did you stumble upon a solution you couldn’t believe actually existed and built a company?

Tell that story. Did you or someone you know encounter a problem you couldn’t believe didn’t have a solution? Tell that story. After 30 seconds, if it’s time to exit the elevator, at least you leave the listener with a mystery they’ll want to investigate. And when they do, they’ll find you.

When I arrived home from the airport that evening, I told my husband about the best elevator pitch ever. Together we Googled “Mike Pearl Harbor body found” and read about new DNA testing allowing families to finally lay their loved ones to rest.

Indeed, there had been a service that day. DSN

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TEACHING TOMORROW’S BUSINESS LEADERS DSEF Fellows Make a Difference for Direct Selling More than 190 DSEF Fellows are changing the way direct selling is taught in universities across the US by using the Foundation’s teaching content, research

“The DSEF pedagogical support materials address real-world, timely marketing practices.

I especially like the CUTCO/Vector ‘The Cutting Edge of Quality’ video case. It not only highlights a successful approach to disintermediation and direct selling, it reinforces the importance of sales as the sole driver of creating revenues in any firm.

DR. LOU PELTON Associate Professor of Marketing University of North Texas

“As a DSEF Fellow, I was able to develop a teaching case that connected my research interest in effectuation and social entrepreneurship with the founders of Trades of Hope. As a bonus, many students were introduced to the direct selling distribution channel as an avenue for social entrepreneurship.

DR. CHRISTINE MOLLENKOPF-PIGSLEY Assistant Professor & Program Director Applied Organizational Studies Minnesota State University Mankato

and case studies. Here’s what they have to say about how DSEF benefits students and direct selling.

“My students have pointedly benefited from DSEF case materials. The Big Data video is highly insightful and garners substantial discussion. The Cocoa Exchange case, particularly the related video, is wonderful for discussing corporate social responsibility, women’s empowerment and direct selling.

DR. WILLIAM F. CRITTENDEN Professor, International Business and Strategy Northeastern University

1667 K Street, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, D.C. 202-452-8866 • info@dsef.org • www.dsef.org

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Marching Toward November and Beyond

E

verything rides on this—that’s a common quote heard about the outcome of the November election.

The idea is that what happens in a few short weeks will not only dictate the next two or four years but potentially the next twenty or more.

Not agreeing or disagreeing with that point of view, I prefer to focus on what DSA and direct sellers across the country are doing to ensure we are heard.

The most obvious tool we can use is mobilizing millions of direct sellers across the country to cast their ballots and play an instrumental role in our democracy. In an environment when national elections come down to a few hundred thousand, remember the impact we can have as a business.

Even if you’ve voted before, voting in November will look very different for most of us. That’s why DSA released the Get Out the Direct Seller Vote tool, which will help people register and vote by absentee ballot if they cannot access a polling place or don’t feel going to a physical poll location in the current health crisis.

One approach people in our channel might take when choosing the candidate to support is to gauge the individual’s support for our channel. The 2020 DSA Voters Guide was recently released to inform executives and

BRIAN BENNETT is the Vice President, Government Affairs & Policy for the U.S. Direct Selling Association.

salespeople of the federal candidates who have taken definitive action to support our business. Many factors go into voting, and we hope this is one of them. We encourage all companies to share this resource among its employees and salesforce members.

When the dust settles after November, where will this leave the country and our businesses?

We cannot say with certainty now, but we always stay committed to the association’s core role—advocacy of the direct selling business model.

Regardless of the election results, DSA will continue working with regulators and policymakers on all levels of government to ensure our two main priorities are supported—a mutual understanding of legal compensation structure and that our salesforce remains independent contractors.

DSA is proud of the role millions of direct sellers could have next month. It may not be immediately apparent that everything rides on the outcome, but its importance shouldn’t be understated as this is a critical time in our businesses from all sides.

We will ensure that our role in those conversations remains strong, and our voice is united, so direct selling has a favorable regulatory environment to thrive for many years to come. DSN

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540 NE 4th St. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 866-218-4668 i-payout.com

More payment options in 150 countries via the most flexible and customizable software solution. Unbeatable pricing.

LACORE PAYMENT TECHNOLOGIES

900 Wilmeth Road, McKinney Texas 75069

INFO@LAC O RETECHN O LO G IES . C O M

www.lacorepayments.com/

LaCore Payment Technologies is a payment platform designed to support direct selling companies globally. Our services include: Global connectivity to 150 countries in 50 currencies, including direct connectivity to most alternative payment types, secure tokenization, customized fraud solutions, including our proprietary Fraudhawk™, advanced reporting tools, and online dispute management.

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Instantly make secure and compliant global payouts to your distributors in local currency with PayQuicker’s fully customizable, client-branded solution. We offer secured bank accounts with prepaid debit cards, virtual cards and more—all through a single point of integration.

C R E D I T C A R D / P AY M E N T P R O C E S S I N G

PAYQUICKER 400 Linden Oaks, Suite 320 Rochester, NY 14625 844-258-3006 www.payquicker.com

STRATEGIC CHOICE PARTNERS

A global leader in cross border and international payments with expertise serving the Direct Sales Industry. Planet supports 100+ payment methods via a single integration with the industry’s best payment acceptance solution for Greater China.

SCP offers the most holistic consulting services specific to direct selling companies today. We’ve worked with more than 70 companies over the last three years alone, and served more than 250 years collectively in the industry.

727 North 1550 East 3rd Floor, Orem, UT 84097 877-267-4324 www.cmsonline.com Complete Merchant Solutions (CMS) is a full-service US merchant account provider representing multiple banks. CMS safely and securely supports many types of payment processing for direct selling companies.

We are the industry’s leading payments partner, long-established advocate, and problem-solver. Our unified commerce & payments platform will connect you to a global marketplace, enable your international expansion strategy, and fuel your exponential growth plans. Let us show you how.

Contact Us: info@metricsglobal.com

600 Old Country Road Ste. 207 Garden City, NY 11530 561-859-0903 www.planetpayment.com

2201 Long Prairie Road, Ste. 107-316 Flower Mound, TX 75022 407-891-9265 https://strategicchoicepartners.com/

COMPLETE MERCHANT SOLUTIONS

METRICS GLOBAL, INC 1160 N. Town Center Drive, Ste. 100 Las Vegas, NV 89144 702-757-9600 www.metricsglobal.com

PLANET

D E S T I N AT I O N S / E V E N T V E N U E S

INTERNATIONAL PAYOUT SYSTEMS INC.

C O M M I S S I O N P AY M E N T S E R V I C E S

AccountingSuite tracks orders, inventory, and projects in the cloud. Our affordable Direct Seller Edition is perfect for individual sellers or companies may buy in bulk at a discount to include in a seller package to create another revenue stream.

C O N S U LTA N T S / M A N A G E M E N T

ACCOUNTINGSUITE 600 California Street, 12th Floor San Francisco, CA 94108 888-328-8275 www.accountingsuite.com

C R E D I T C A R D / P AY M E N T P R O C E S S I N G

C O M M I S S I O N P AY M E N T S E R V I C E S

A C C O U N T I N G S O F T WA R E / S E R V I C E S

Vendor Directory

DISNEY DESTINATIONS P.O. Box 10,000 Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000 321-939-7129 www.disneymeetings.com World-class convention hotels in destinations around the world. Discover the magic of Disney for your meetings, events or incentives.

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CANADA CARTAGE LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS

1615 Clark Blvd.

Brampton, Ontario L6T 4W1 905-564-2115 x2 www.canadacartage.com/logistics Single Source Solutions, Order to Delivery B2C Solutions, On-Time Order Fulfillment, Real-Time Inventory Visibility, NHP Site Compliant, SOP/GMP Compliant, and locations across Canada.

D I S T R I B U T I O N / F U L F I L L M E N T/ L O G I S T I C S

A 20,000-seat arena and 100+ unique restaurants surrounding our convention center makes Columbus feel custommade for direct selling conventions. With arts, live music and more, there’s always something to do in the capital of under-theradar cool.

D I S T R I B U T I O N / F U L F I L L M E N T/ L O G I S T I C S

EXPERIENCE COLUMBUS 277 W. Nationwide Blvd., Ste. 125 Columbus, OH 43215 614-222-6121 www.experiencecolumbus.com

STALCO INC. 64 Bakersfield Street Toronto Ontario M3J 2W7 647-367-2459 ext. 200 www.stalco.ca Stalco is your Canadian Distribution partner for all your requirements, including: regulatory approvals and management, importation (tracking and customs clearance), fulfillment (kitting, pick and pack, shipping), same day order processing, 2-4 day tracked delivery, and returns management.

A2B FULFILLMENT

GLOBAL ACCESS

VISIBLE SCM

150 Stewart Parkway Greensboro, GA 30642 866-843-3827 www.a2bf.com

9815 S. Monroe Street, Ste. 510 Salt Lake City, UT 84070 877-811-8108 www.globalaccess.com

5160 Wiley Post Way Salt Lake City, UT 84116 385-355-8840 www.visiblescm.com

Since 2001, a2b Fulfillment has been helping companies work smarter by outsourcing business support services, including order fulfillment, customer care, and valueadded solutions. Its same-day fulfillment philosophy ensures that customers aren’t waiting, and its one-call customer service resolution standard keeps them coming back.

International expansion expertise and technology and logistics solutions that grow clients’ businesses and brands around the world.

Choose Visible for efficient fulfillment processes and market-leading customer experience. Benefit from multi-carrier solutions, high-volume shipping rates, custom packaging, fulfillment, and a real-time inventory management system— with a 99.84% order accuracy rate.

AMWARE FULFILLMENT

LACORE LOGISTICS

4505 Newpoint Place Lawrenceville, GA 30043 678-377-8585 Sales@AmwareLogistics.com www.AmwareLogistics.com

900 Wilmeth Road, McKinney Texas 75069 214-817-4802 www.lacorelogistics.com

VERST E COMMERCE FULFILLMENT

Handle fulfillment for 5 of the DSA top 100 companies. DSA member with 15 fulfillment centers, nationwide, for 1-2 day delivery to 98% of the U.S. Offering discount parcel solutions, kitting, same-day shipping, and a full menu of value-added services.

LaCore Logistics provides distribution and order fulfillment services. Our highly automated distribution center provides both domestic and international direct-to-consumer shipping solutions. We offer omni-channel fulfillment solutions ranging from marketplace fulfillment for leading marketplaces to businessto-business fulfillment for leading retailers.

E-COMMERCE FULFILLMENT

D I S T R I B U T I O N / F U L F I L L M E N T/ L O G I S T I C S

D E S T I N AT I O N S / E V E N T V E N U E S

TO BE INCLUDED IN THE VENDOR DIRECTORY, CALL 1-800-279-5249

300 Shorland Dr., Walton, KY 41094 800-978-9307 www.verstlogistics.com

Verst offers robotic picking, 99% order accuracy, 6.5+M sf scalable warehousing space, air/rail-served, 1-2 days to over 85% of the U.S. Services include pick-pack, labeling, kitting, and custom packaging.

Our Business Is… An Extension of Your Business

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KATAPULT EVENTS 5840 Red Bug Lake Rd, Ste. 140 Winter Springs, FL 32708 407-915-9060 www.katapultevents.com Fresh. Exciting. Bold. Your field deserves the best and we help you deliver. Out-of-the-box creative production with experienced show management. We execute on budget and make you look AMAZING!

Since 2007, Hanna Shea Executive Search has been the go-to search firm in support of the direct selling industry. Hanna Shea finds top talent for companies in need of building or improving an executive leadership team for organizational success.

ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND

E.A. DION, INC. 33 Franklin McKay Road Attleboro, MA 02703 800-445-1007 www.eadion.com

A full-service event production company specializing in helping DSA’s tell their stories. Creativity + Technology = Unforgettable Experiences.

Dion’s jewelry solutions are perfect for career path, sales & recruiting, corporate anniversaries and incentive travel recognition awards.

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Fossil Group is a global watch company specializing in the innovation and design of watches, wearables, jewelry, and leather goods. Our owned brands include Fossil, Michele, Misfit, and Skagen, and licensed brands, Armani Exchange, Diesel, Emporio Armani, kate spade new york, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Misfit and Tory Burch.

1080 Caribbean Way Miami, FL 33132 Royal Caribbean International’s Corporate Sales Team 800-529-6916 www.royalcaribbeanincentives.com

Create lasting memories for your top producers. Reward & WOW them with a resort experience nestled in the world’s largest open air aquarium.

MULTI IMAGE GROUP

FOSSIL GROUP 901 S. Central Expressway Richardson, TX 75080 469-730-7619 www.fossil.com

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

1000 S. Pine Island Road Plantation, FL 33324 800-722-2449 www.AtlantisBahamas.com/meetings

1701 Clint Moore Road Boca Raton, FL 33487 800-523-2682 www.mig.cc

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INCENTIVES/RECOGNITION

HANNA SHEA 1835 W Chandler Blvd 103, Chandler, AZ 85224 844-344-7177 www.hannashea.com

ICONIC SHIPS. EPIC ADVENTURES. ULTIMATE EVENTS. Royal Caribbean® transforms events into the ultimate productivity paradise. Impress your attendees with epic venues, vibrant restaurants, onboard thrills and beautiful destinations.

M A NUFA C T UR ING/ P R OD . DE V E L OP ME N T

Excite & ignite your direct sales force by using Bartha­—the highest quality event production and staging company nationwide!

E XECUTIVE RECRUITMENT

BARTHA 600 N. Cassady Avenue Columbus, OH 43219 800-363-2698 www.bartha.com

INCENTIVES/RECOGNITION

E VENT PRODUCTION

Vendor Directory

PROGRESSIVE LABORATORIES

3131 Story Road W Irving, TX 75038 972-518-9660 www.progressivelabs.com 40+ years of quality manufacturing of nutritional formulas specializing in capsules and powders. FDA registered and 3rd party UL certified facility.

OCTOBER 2020

9/21/20 1:55 PM

SMART OFFICE SOLUTIONS, INC.

217 N. Westmonte Drive, Ste. 1007 Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 800-891-8601 www.SmartOfficeSolutions.com Your mobile strategy should be as smart as the phone in your pocket. Make a powerful statement about the value of social networks and personal connections with the SmartMobile app. Transform every share, text, call, and email into a positive sales and recruiting result.

SUCCESS PARTNERS 5800 Democracy Drive, Suite 100 Plano, TX 75024 800-752-2030 www.successpartners.com GROW NOW! The SUCCESS Partners’ NOW app drives results for direct selling companies making it incredibly simple to connect, communicate and convert. A mobile system designed for maximum duplication that promotes customer acquisition activityNOW. Contact us for a demo today!

S O F T WA R E / T E C H N O L O G Y S O L U T I O N S

SUCCESS Partners is a full-service agency that creates strategies and solutions for direct selling companies to strengthen their brand, engage customers and boost their bottom line.

MOBILE APPS & COMMERCE

SUCCESS PARTNERS 5800 Democracy Drive, Suite 100 Plano, TX 75024 800-752-2030 www.successpartners.com

S O F T WA R E / T E C H N O L O G Y S O L U T I O N S

MOBILE APPS & COMMERCE

MARK E TING/BR ANDING

TO BE INCLUDED IN THE VENDOR DIRECTORY, CALL 1-800-279-5249

DIRECTECH LABS 929 Colorado Ave Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-730-1246 CustomerCare@directechlabs.com www.directechlabs.com The AI-powered messaging and analytics platform. Be a better opportunity in the gig economy. Actionable dashboards and automated opportunities that get your field and customers engaged into measurable action anywhere in the world.

BYDESIGN TECHNOLOGIES

EXIGO

9503 Princess Palm Avenue Tampa, FL 33619 813-253-2235 www.bydesign.com

1600 Viceroy Dr., Suite 125 Dallas, TX 75235 214-367-9933 www.exigo.com

Award winning SaaS solutions including Geneology Management & Commissions, Inventory, Replicated Websites, Premier Rep Tools, Branded Mobile App, Virtual Parties, E-vites, Hostess Rewards, Bookings, Social Sharing, Promotions, & Shopping.

The global leader in cloud-based Platformas-a-Service (PaaS) for direct selling companies. An open framework for billiondollar giants to startup companies. Exigo supports MLM, Party Plan and Affiliate models, operating in single global markets.

SOCIALSALES.IO

DIRECTSCALE

INFOTRAX SYSTEMS

2024 W. 15th St., Ste. F-324 Plano, TX 75075 214-659-1549 hello@socialsales.io www.socialsales.io

350 South 400 West, Ste. 225 Lindon, UT 84042 801-701-3285 www.directscale.com

1875 S. State Street, Ste. 3000 Orem, UT 84097 801-431-4900 www.infotraxsys.com

Scalable software for your company and your sales force that’s delightful and easy to use.

Software & SaaS solutions for startup, emerging, and global direct selling companies. See our ad on the back cover.

Convert your social fans into paying customers. Our global SaaS platform includes the tools your sales force needs to succeed in today’s social selling environment. Scalable to fit any sized organization from startups to large global enterprises.

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1208 E. Kennedy Blvd., Ste. 222 Tampa, FL 33602 813-277-0625 www.idstc.com

Global Operations Management Software.

Advanced Comp Plan Programming. Sales Force Backoffice & Automation. Web Site Design & Replication.

JENKON 203 SE Park Plaza Drive, Ste. 250 Vancouver, WA 98684 360-256-4400 www.jenkon.com Corporate & Sales Force software for 21st century world-leaders in global direct selling. Cloud-based & on-premise solutions are available.

MW2 DIRECT 2033 Gateway Place, 5th Floor San Jose, CA 95110 408-573-6310 www.mw2consulting.com/direct Combine the Magento Platform with powerful social and direct selling features available in the MW2 Direct platform.

Solving Digital Transformation for direct selling with personalization, party management, influencer marketing, commission, analytics.

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NEXIO 727 N 1550 E, 3rd Floor Orem, UT 84097 1-877-551-5504 www.nexiohub.com Nexio manages the chaos of payments offering: • Faster roll out for distributors or partners • Simplifies payment processing for corporations Nexio does this by being integrated with the majority of back-office software solutions in the Direct Sales Industry.

THATCHER TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC

55 Shuman Blvd., Ste. 350 Naperville, IL 60563 866-698-3848 www.thatchertech.com

Thatcher Technology Group provides Sales Force, Compensation and Incentive Management Software for the Direct Selling Industry.

TOOLS, RECRUITING & TR AINING

INTERNATIONAL DIRECT SELLING TECHNOLOGY CORP.

TA X S E R V I C E S

TO BE INCLUDED IN THE VENDOR DIRECTORY, CALL 1-800-279-5249

S O F T WA R E / T E C H N O L O G Y S O L U T I O N S

S O F T WA R E / T E C H N O L O G Y S O L U T I O N S

Vendor Directory

SOVOS 200 Ballardvale Street, 4th Floor Wilmington, MA 01887 1-800-334-1099 www.sovos.com Save time and money with a smarter tax information reporting solution. Sovos solutions keep up with regulatory changes, perform TIN verifications, and automate your organization’s entire 1099 and 1042-S federal and state reporting process.

SUCCESS PARTNERS 5800 Democracy Drive, Suite 100 Plano, TX 75024 800-752-2030 www.successpartners.com SERVICES THAT SPARK GROWTH. From sampling and physical starter kits to digital marketing, we’ve got you covered.

We serve by working alongside you to design, develop, and deliver solutions that benefit you, your distributors, and your customers.

XIRECT SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

686 E 110 S Unit 104 American Fork, UT 84003 385-448-1800 www.xirect.com

N

Scalable software from startup to enterprise. Your delivery expert in Commissions Calc / Consulting, Replicating Websites, E-Commerce, Reporting, Promotions, Localization, Multi-Currency, and more- The Perfect Cloud-based Direct Selling Software Partner!

OCTOBER 2020

9/20/20 7:27 PM

Legal& Regulatory Seminar @HOME OCT. 13–15

Sponsored by

The DSA Legal & Regulatory Seminar is where DSA’s policy insights will lead to practical business applications for a range of executives.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Noah J. Phillips Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

Derek Schmidt Attorney General, Kansas

Wayne Stenejhem Attorney General, North Dakota

Lawrence Wasden Attorney General, Idaho

AND MANY MORE!

Dr. Anne Coughlan, Northwestern University

Katrina Eash, Winston & Strawn

Justin Powell, Isagenix International

Dr. Linda Ferrell, Auburn University

John Sanders, Winston & Strawn

Allen Gutierrez, U.S. Small Business Administration

Julia Simon, Mary Kay Inc.

Jessica Marquez, Hy Cite Enterprises, LLC

Henry Wang, Herbalife

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CONVERT

Automate and amplify distributor sales systems & offer your customers an impressive and engaging buying experience!

Turnkey Sampling 30 years of experience to guide you through best practices for a successful sampling program!

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In-app sample ordering and fulfillment

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Order tracking and drip campaigns

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Physical and digital distribution systems

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International distribution in place

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Value-added services: artwork, sample assembly, sample manufacturing and fulfillment

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20 years 3PL experience serving the direct selling channel

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On-time delivery and competitive pricing

“The NOW App and the SUCCESS Partners team have really made everything easy for us.”

–John Licari, COO, Total Life Changes

R E Q U E S T A D E M O ! C O N TAC T U S TO D AY

app@successpartners.com / 1.800.752.2030 / successpartners.com

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Be CustomerustomerCentric CCR Recognized.

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E D Direct Selling News is excitedE to C present O G N I Zthe

Customer-Centric Recognition (CCR) Program to celebrate companies that are leading the way toward a sustainable, customer-centric future for the industry. Qualifying companies utilize business models that boast high customer-to-distributor ratios and prioritize customer sales.

Submit Your CCR Program Application Today.

The CCR Program is based solely on a company’s customer-to-distributor ratio taking into consideration the following definitions:

■ Distributor—someone who DOES have a distributor agreement in place ■ Customer—someone who DOES NOT have a distributor agreement in place ■ Active is defi ned as each customer and distributor must have made a product purchase during the last six months. Active customer and distributor counts are limited to those in the U.S. and Canada.

Companies must have been in business for at least one year and have a minimum of $5 million in annual revenue. Qualifying companies must attain: 5:1 up to 10:1 for Gold status and 10:1 or more for Platinum status.

Companies who wish to learn more or to submit an application can go to www.directsellingnews.com/ccr or contact editor@directsellingnews.com

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®

9/20/20 5:21 PM

SOLUTIONS THAT TAKE YOU TO THE TOP If you want high-performance outcomes for your company and distributors, you need to make the right decisions when it really counts. Take the leap to FlexCloud to get real-time insights about your day-to-day operations and access key info about the way you’re building revenue. Ready to jump in?

Contact us today for a free demo.

Learn how a better business starts here: http://info.infotraxsys.com/flexcloudwhitepaper

801.431.4900 | infotraxsys.com

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VOLUME 16 ISSUE 10

DIRECT SELLING NEWS

DirectSellingNews.com