HR’S DEFINING MOMENT / REMOTE. IN OFFICE. HYBRID. WHAT’S THE ANSWER?
USANA / CHEERS TO 30 YEARS
INGROUP / 1M MEMBERS AND COUNTING
VORWERK / THERMOMIX / BRINGING A LOT TO THE TABLE
The DSN Bravo Awards are like the Oscars of Direct Selling—reserved for the best of the best!
Congratulations to Optavia, winner of the Bravo Growth Award and Plexus, winner of the Bravo Impact Award.
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“You’ve saved us time like crazy. You’ve saved money. You are knights in shining armor … I think you have a customer for life.”
Scott, VP at Neumi
WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T COME HOME AGAIN? I’m so glad to be back at Direct Selling News—I have missed the passion, energy and enthusiasm for the channel that the entire staff possesses. And I’m excited to be a part of this publication’s ongoing renaissance. I look forward to bringing you even more in-depth stories and research each issue, as we take an honest and celebratory look at the channel and the internal and external factors shaping it.
As a channel we continue to focus more on products—developing the cutting-edge health, wellness and beauty products that consumers crave with the kind of personalized customer service that only happens in direct selling. In this month’s cover story, we look at the hot product categories that are enjoying rapid growth and increased customer interest now—and next.
To commute or not to commute seems to be the biggest challenge many businesses inside and outside the channel are facing. We tackle the pros and cons of coming back into the office this month, covering everything from the impact on culture and morale to employee efficiency and engagement issues.
Don’t miss the excerpt from this month’s Iconic Insights podcast where
our host Heather Chastain interviews the always insightful Tony Jeary. There are also articles highlighting USANA, Vorwerk and InCruises/InGroup: three companies shaping the channel in very different, but equally profound ways.
DSN remains your daily resource for global news impacting the direct selling channel. If you haven’t yet, make sure to sign up for the weekly dashboard email which delivers a week’s worth of news in a quick 15-minute read each Sunday. You can also sign up for free text alerts by becoming a member of our VIP Community where you’ll always get the channel’s top stories first and fast.
When this issue hits mailboxes, we will be right in the middle of our Fall Direct Selling University executive education event. This is our second DSU of the year, and we happen to think it has the most diverse group of speakers and panels we’ve ever put together.
We always strive to bring you the news and information you need. We’d love to hear about the stories and trends you would like to see us cover.
Please share your thoughts at pwhite@directsellingnews.com.
All the best,
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INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION, USANA Health Sciences, Inc. announced a new brand strategy called “Start Something!” that will play a significant role in the company’s future.
This motivational movement is designed to inspire people to “take action and start something in their lives—no matter how big or small” and includes inspiring videos from USANA-sponsored athletes and influencers, as well as a specialedition Start Something! HealthPak that lets USANA customers display their goals on social media using #StartSomething.
“The past couple of years have been extremely hard for the whole world, and it feels like everyone has been stuck in park,” said Kevin Guest, USANA Chairman and CEO. “USANA is a company dedicated to health and wellness. And to begin or reignite our health journeys, we need to be present in today, put our lives in drive and start. We want everyone to embrace the power they have to own their life and shape their future story. We truly can’t wait to see what people accomplish when they #StartSomething.”
PLEXUS WORLDWIDE HOSTED more than 460 Plexus distributors at its 2022 Evolución Convention in Mexico City. The event featured product launches, workshops and presentations as well as the unveiling of a brand refresh that embraces Mexican culture.
This new local brand identity highlights vibrant concept art by local artist Asero Rodríguez and showcases elements and symbols that are deeply embedded in Mexican culture, like flora, fauna, iconic beaches, bright tapestries and agriculture.
“We are incredibly proud to empower our Brand Ambassadors and further grow our presence in Mexico,” said Alec Clark, President and Founder of Plexus Worldwide. “The new visual brand and product launch reflect an ongoing commitment to help ignite hope and happiness to the people in Mexico.”
AUGUST 25 WAS A DAY OF CELEBRATION at the third annual Direct Selling Golf Scramble held at Thanksgiving Point Golf Club in Lehi, Utah; 144 golfers from 52 companies were on hand this year with over $70,000 in prizes available.
The event was hosted by Nexio, Avalara, GPS Capital Markets and iCentiviz and sponsored by Verb, Flight Commerce, Tanner, FlexPay, PayQuicker, Global Access, Direct Selling News, Momentum Factor, Squire, InfoTrax, Bloo Kanoo, Kount, Penny, Jenkon, NowTech, Thatcher and Vetted.
The tournament is a way for vendor companies to celebrate and thank direct selling executives. As Colt Passey, EVP of Business Development of Nexio explained, “The Scramble is just for fun—there’s no
25, 2023
selling or pitching—it’s just friends gathering for golf. The last few years have been hard on everyone. We’re just here to network, relax and enjoy the day.”
Colt expressed his thanks to all the host and sponsor companies with a special shout out to event Co-Founder Brian Brown, Sr. Strategic Partnership Manager at Avalara, who helped with the Scramble’s planning and execution. DSN
For the full articles, visit directsellingnews.com/ category/news/
ACCORDING TO A NEW SURVEY by McKinsey, a majority of Americans are already aware of and engage in the metaverse. Most respondents (55 percent) said they had heard of at least one metaverse platform and almost 30 percent had played a game in the metaverse.
Millennials showed the greatest awareness of the metaverse, but all ages reported planning to incorporate it into their daily lives. Gen Z and Millennials say that they expect to spend almost five hours each day in the metaverse within the next five years, and older generations reported similar sentiments—with Gen X expecting to spend almost four hours and Baby Boomers expecting to spend almost two hours each day in the metaverse. This trend is primarily driven by convenience, connection and entertainment.
Consumers point to identity as another strong driver of their use of the metaverse. Younger users describe their involvement in the metaverse as reinforcing their own sense of self-identification and individuality. About half of Gen Z and Millennial
survey participants said their virtual identity is simply an extension of their physical identity and believe their online friendships can be as strong as their real-life relationships.
With this feeling of ease online, Millennials are the biggest spenders in the metaverse, buying digital assets like in-game purchases and virtual real estate. For brands, this means an opportunity to meet customers in a new way. In fact, two-thirds of those surveyed said “they would be excited to engage in a digital experience with their favorite brands.” During these metaverse adventures, more than half of people who attend virtual lifestyle and luxury events say it gave them a positive shift in their brand perception.
McKinsey states that “the metaverse is the future, not a fad.” As the metaverse rapidly expands and becomes a place where all generations like to linger and, ultimately, spend money, brands should be taking steps now to outline the metaverse strategies their company will use to engage customers in new ways to purchase and play online. DSN
WITH INFLATION across decades, it can be difficult to accurately compare how much groceries, houses and life in general cost each generation. In a new study by Consumer Affairs that analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census, the National Association of Realtors and the Education Data Board, the disparity between the costs each generation has faced is now quantifiable.
According to the study, Gen Z has 86 percent less purchasing power today than the Baby Boomer generation had in their twenties. The cost of public and private school tuition has risen by 310 percent and 245 percent, respectively, since the 1970s, and gas costs Gen Z and Millennial drivers 57 percent more per gallon than Baby Boomers experienced in their twenties.
Even adjusted for inflation, the median home price in 2022 is nearly double what it was in 1970. And for those who choose to rent instead, the news isn’t much better. Median rent has increased
150 percent since 1970. Even when housing prices dipped during the Great Recession, median rent did not. The result is a generation of young professionals who spend an inordinate amount of their income on rent, making saving for an increasingly expensive home an even greater challenge.
There are also external pressures that the study examined but couldn’t truly quantify, including how the world is just more expensive than it was in the seventies. To keep up with jobs and daily life today, it’s almost a necessity to have an expensive cell phone and internet service. And as the price of those high-end goods continue climbing, incomes remain relatively stagnant. The average consumer price index (CPI) has risen over 500 percent since 1970. During that same time, wages increased by only 80 percent.
Today’s average income simply can’t keep up with the cost of living, and the data shows that the youngest generations of consumers are struggling to make purchases that are typical for their stage of life.
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Today, Jon pays this kindness forward by empowering thousands of formerly incarcerated people like himself to build a brighter future. He founded Hope for Prisoners, a foundation that, through donations, helps people reenter the workforce, reengage with their families and communities, and reclaim their lives In recognition of his widespread impact, he was pardoned by the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
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For the full articles, visit directsellingnews.com/ category/news/
EXP REALTY / CHIEF OPERATING OFFICEREXP REALTY has appointed Patrick O’Neill as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. O’Neill will now oversee the enhancement of end-toend agent experience and operational workflow and will scale eXp operations for new growth amid global expansion.
“We are at a turning point in our company’s history and are deepening our leadership bench to propel our next phase of growth in realty,” said Jason Gesing, CEO of eXp Realty. “Patrick brings excellent experience in operations and technology, the perfect combination to help deliver on our ambitious goals to enhance our technology and agent value proposition.”
IMMUNOTEC / CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
IMMUNOTEC announced that it has named Rajneesh Chopra as the company’s Chief Commercial Officer. This newly created position is expected to facilitate better distributor and customer support, helping Immunotec Consultants grow their businesses and attract an increasing number of qualified leaders.
In his new role with Immunotec, Chopra will help the company expand to new markets around the world, leading initiatives that will improve team retention, support and training offerings and build online recruiting.
EXP REALTY / CHIEF GROWTH OFFICEREXP REALTY has appointed Michael Valdes to the role of Chief Growth Officer. Valdes joined eXp in 2020 as President of eXp Global and has led the launch of 18 markets since then.
In this new role, Valdes will lead the eXp Realty and eXp Commercial global expansion efforts, align the organization’s growth strategies and leverage existing scale to accelerate growth.
“Michael has been instrumental in growing our global footprint, and we’re excited about the value he will bring to our domestic and commercial businesses. He is well positioned to deliver on our ambitious growth goals,” said Jason Gesing, CEO of eXp Realty.
MICHAEL VALDES PATRICK O’NEILL4LIFE has promoted Diane Taylor to the role of Senior Vice President of Finance. Taylor began her career with 4Life in 2005, when she joined as a staff accountant.
“4Life has provided me with so much opportunity,” Taylor said. “I became a manager, and then director, and eventually a vice president. I credit my success to the excellent people around me. Whatever future success I enjoy I will derive from teamwork.”
Taylor has been a leader within the company, training international finance managers and developing overseas relationships with key accounting personnel.
REGAL WARE ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE HIRES
AS IT PREPARES FOR SALADMASTER GROWTH
TO SUPPORT the continued growth of the Saladmaster brand, Regal Ware has appointed Magali Madariaga as the Vice President of Marketing and Abigail Chamorro as Division Comptroller.
Madariaga brings marketing experience across a number of industries, including direct selling and food and beverage, and has held an executive leadership position at another large direct selling company. In this new role, Madariaga will lead the global marketing team and develop the strategic approach for the dealer to consumer experience.
Chamorro has more than a decade of experience as an accounting executive with another large direct selling company. Chamorro will be tasked with managing the company’s financials across 50 countries and will lead collection, analysis and reporting that abide by industry regulations and standards. DSN
MAGALI MADARIAGA ABIGAIL CHAMORROFor the full articles, visit directsellingnews.com/ category/news/
IN MEMORIAM / J.R. Ridinger, Founder of Market AmericaRIDINGER, founder of Market America, passed away suddenly on August 30.
Ridinger launched Market America in 1992, an online retailer that now employs more than 800 people around the world and has generated more than $7.3 billion in retail sales.
More than his business acumen, Ridinger was a friend and mentor to many, including celebrities like former Chicago Bulls player Scottie Pippen who posted a memorial on Instagram that read: “We lost a good one with the passing of my friend @jrridinger. J.R. was so helpful and supportive when I began my life after basketball, giving me valuable advice and teaching me how to become an entrepreneur.” Many other celebrities expressed support online as well, including Khloe Kardashian and Victoria Beckham.
Ridinger is survived by his wife Loren, daughters Amber and Amanda, his brothers Marc and Steve, his sister Brandi, his son-in-law Duane and grandchildren Ayden, Ayva and Aydrien.
In a statement on Market America’s Twitter account, the company said: “Market America has lost its great visionary, and the world has lost a passionate human being who believed in other people even more than they believed in themselves.”
J.R.’s wife Loren Ridinger expressed her grief on social media with a picture from their wedding and the caption: “I am shattered in every way possible. There is no love like our love. Please pray for me and my family. I love you @jrridinger for the rest of my life and beyond. It will only be you. 33 years of love together on this earth.”
Direct Selling News Founder and CEO Stuart Johnson said, “I’ve known J.R. since I was
16 years old. He’s been a partner, mentor, inspiration and—most importantly—dear friend for over 40 years. This is a huge loss, not just for the channel but for all the people in it. The DSN family mourns along with Loren and the Market America team.”
Pointing to the future, Market America stated: “J.R. leaves behind a company that only he could have created, and his entrepreneurial spirit will forever be the foundation of Market America. J.R. always positioned and empowered his team to carry on into the future as he instilled belief in us and encouraged us to keep growing. The company is forever strong because of the belief and passion J.R. instilled in all of us. The foundation he built has prepared us to continue to carry his dream forward for generations to come.” DSN
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GARY COXE BUSINESS AND LIFE STRATEGISTJOE TREVINO made a consistently positive impact in the direct sales industry for over 27 years. He served in many innovative and impactful roles with Saladmaster from 1995 2017 and as the Director of Events and Business Development at pawTree LLC from 2017 until his passing in July 2022.
His infectious smile was his calling card and everyone who met him knew they had made a new friend. He was unwavering in his integrity in all things and displayed a creative brilliance that is unparalleled. Joe loved his faith, family and friends
deeply and had a way of effortlessly putting first things first without compromise.
Joe is survived by his wife, Lynn Carol Trevino and children Isabella Trevino, Joseph Trevino III, Nicholas Trevino and Nathaniel Trevino. DSN
DSN SHARES A COMMON GOAL WITH THE SUPPLIER COMMUNITY—to serve and support the growth and evolution of direct selling companies. When they win, we all win—including millions of customers and distributors around the globe.
Our mission is to serve, educate and edify the channel with daily breaking global news, emerging trends and powerful stories, made possible through the generosity and support of our Premier Supplier Partners. Thank you for your dedication to the direct selling channel!
The CCR Program is based solely on a company’s customer-to-distributor ratio taking into consideration the following definitions:
n Distributor—someone who DOES have a distributor agreement in place
n Customer—someone who DOES NOT have a distributor agreement in place
n Active is defined 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.
Direct Selling News is excited to present the Customer-Centric Recognition (CCR) Program to celebrate companies that are leading the way toward a customer-centric future for the industry.
Qualifying companies utilize business models that boast high customer-to-distributor ratios and prioritize customer sales.
Companies who wish to learn more or submit a CCR Program Application can go to www.directsellingnews.com/ccr/ or contact editor@directsellingnews.com
IRECT SELLING COMPANIES with a strong retail base of satisfied customers are experiencing impressive growth and deserve recognition and acknowledgment for their efforts. With evolving consumer expectations and regulatory scrutiny, customer centric equals success for everyone—distributors, direct selling companies and the channel as a whole. The DSN Customer-Centric Recognition Program acknowledges these companies.
In order to protect the integrity of the CCR Program for all participants, DSN reserves the right to suspend or discontinue CCR Program recognition of any company undergoing published legal actions or regulatory disputes (including any settlements of such).
Direct Selling News in partnership with Direct Selling Capital Advisors presents the Direct Selling News Digital Momentum Rankings semi-annual list. The purpose of these rankings continues to be to evaluate and acknowledge the companies experiencing significant growth in their online presence within the last six months.
THE FIRST HALF OF 2022 is behind us. And with a lot going on in the world, the DSN Digital Momentum Index has seen a few shake-ups! As we shift to longer term fan base growth and continue to watch community engagement on social media, some social media accounts have overtaken those with larger fanbases as their community engagement grows and strengthens. While follower/fan growth is still more heavily weighted, engagement with the team members and customers on social media created a few rises and falls in the ranking this first half of 2022.
Regarding Facebook, the group averages for fan and engagement growth were 0.9 percent and 0.8 percent respectively, while Instagram fared better at +4.8 percent follower growth and +0.9 percent engagement growth.
Overall, on social media the first half 2022 was all about keeping existing fans/followers and focusing on engaging through meaningful posts and communications to broader audiences. The index of companies overall saw little change in SEO metrics, with a moderate decline (-10.4 percent) in overall traffic to official sites.
PRESENTED BY THE RESEARCHERS AT DIRECT SELLING NEWS.
1 SCENTSY
2 SEINT
3 INCRUISES/INGROUP
4 NEWULIFE
5 PRINCESS HOUSE
6 OPTAVIA
7 DOTERRA
8 TRANONT
9 VIDA DIVINA
10 TRUVY
11 WORLD FINANCIAL GROUP
12 PRIMERICA
13 PAMPERED CHEF
14 IT WORKS!
15 LIFEVANTAGE
16 PRUVIT
17 RED ASPEN
18 JEUNESSE GLOBAL
19 ASEA GLOBAL
20 SHAKLEE
21 HGI CRUSADE
22 YOUNIQUE
23 TUPPERWARE
24 FOREVER LIVING
25 PAPARAZZI ACCESSORIES
26 SUNRIDER
27 REVITALU
28 CABI
29 SEND OUT CARDS
30 BEMER
31 LEGALSHIELD
32 NU SKIN
33 HERBALIFE
34 VASAYO
35 KYANI 36 EPICURE 37 PLEXUS 38 EXP REALTY 39 ACN 40 PARKLANE JEWELRY
41 LIMELIFE BY ALCONE
42 UNICITY
43 STELLA & DOT
44 RELIV
45 MARY KAY
46 4LIFE
47 KANNAWAY
48 USANA
49 CHALK COUTURE
50 AMWAY
1 FARMASI
2 ZINZINO
3 NATURA
4 NEW IMAGE
5 BELCORP
6 INFINITUS
7 YANBAL
8 ORIFLAME
9 PM-INTERNATIONAL
10 GIFFARINE
11 FABERLIK
12 OMNITRITION
13 POLA
14 AVON UK
15 VESTIGE
16 COWAY
17 MARY KAY INTERNATIONAL PAGES
18 LYCONET
19 THE BODY SHOP
20 TIENS
What the Ranking Means / It is worth repeating that the Digital Momentum Index only compares changes over two quarters (vs. year-to-date or a trailing month timeline), and so it is not uncommon to see a single-member company make leaps or appear/disappear each ranking period. A company that achieved +25 percent growth over the last two quarters would have to continue growth atop that to maintain their rank. The index is intended to be a measure of “who saw significant social media growth in the last 180 days” rather than a long-time leaderboard. To find out more information and to learn how the rankings are calculated, scan the QR code.
WE BELIEVE DIRECT SELLING’S SUPERPOWER IS ITS SPIRIT OF SHARING AND SUPPORT. When one company succeeds, the entire channel benefits. It’s with that sensibility in mind that we developed the DSN Supporter Program in 2022 and welcomed 34 participants. And it’s with that same spirit that we introduce a new, entry‑level option of support for 2023, the Advocate Level.
n Logo acknowledgement and placement in all of DSN’s event promotions (print, online and in-person), website and additional recognition visibility.
n Three complimentary tickets to the annual DSN Global Celebration & Awards event held each spring.
n Help edify leaders and influencers in our channel;
n Share and celebrate the stories that need to be told; and
n Recognize companies achieving success with integrity.
WHEN YOU BECOME A SUPPORTER OF DSN AT THE PATRON LEVEL AND ABOVE, you not only empower us to provide the global news, podcasts and recognition that helps keeps you informed, engaged and one step ahead, but you unlock invaluable perks, insightful educational content and unlimited access to exclusive research commissioned and sanctioned by DSN.
Platinum, Gold & Patron level exclusive: n D SU on-demand library— a masterclass for direct selling n 150+ Ted-style lessons
DSN has outdone themselves with the new DSU on‑demand library! helping our organization grow at every level is a core pillar of ours, and the dsu content helps us enhance our efforts in an innovative way. —MARK STASTNY / CMO, SCENTSY
TO LEARN MORE about exclusive DSN Supporter Program Benefits and how you can become a part of the DSN family of Supporters, visit directsellingnews.com/achievements/membership/ or contact membership@directsellingnews.com
DIRECT SELLING NEWS
In order to protect the integrity of the Support Program for all participants, DSN reserves the right to deny, suspend or discontinue Support benefits to any company undergoing published legal actions or regulatory disputes (including any settlements of such).
BY DAVID LEE
ONBOARDING NEW EMPLOYEES is becoming a more personalized process with goals of increasing retention, reducing anxiety and sparking a genuine connection between the company and employee. Trends are evolving the process from a static one time orientation event to a more dynamic and immersive experience.
“When onboarding is done well, it lays a foundation for long-term success for the employee and the employer,” says human resources firm SHRM. “It can improve productivity, build loyalty and engagement, and help employees become successful early in their careers with the new organization.”
Here are five effective and innovative trends companies are implementing to improve the onboarding process.
Initiating new employee onboarding before the formal procedures begin is a great way to develop a stronger relationship and encourage participation. Quick engagement is key but don’t overwhelm them. Activities can be sent before prospects even accept a job offer to make them feel part of the company and culture. First steps in the onboarding process can be sent on a mobile device. Send company products or merchandise as a welcome gift before the full onboarding process begins to make the new hire feel welcome and encourage them to engage with and learn about the brand
Many companies are incorporating gamification or augmented reality in their onboarding process, where new hires can level up as they complete tasks, earn prizes and even earn points that can be cashed in for products and perks. Training should focus on how they can succeed in the company based on their job duties. Send a personalized welcome video instead of a generic message. Emphasize the importance of their role and duties within the company. Teach them how to best communicate within the organization both with their co-workers, supervisors or subordinates. Ask for feedback on how to improve the onboarding experience
S END A PERSONALIZED WELCOME VIDEO OR A WELCOME GIFT BEFORE THE FULL ONBOARDING PROCESS BEGINS .
THE FOLLOWING ONBOARDING
STATS AND TRENDS WERE COMPILED FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES, REPORTS AND STUDIES:
The proportion of new hires who say they feel very prepared for their job has increased from 62% in 2020 to 67% in 2021.
The number of new hires who say they had a positive onboarding experience has increased from 74% in 2020 to 79% in 2021.
The number of organizations using virtual reality for onboarding has more than doubled from 5% in 2020 to 11% in 2021.
The number of organizations using augmented reality for onboarding has tripled from 3% in 2020 to 9% in 2021.
The number of organizations offering remote work options as part of their onboarding process has increased from 41% in 2020 to 54% in 2021.
Employees who go through a structured onboarding process are 69% more likely to stay with a company for at least three years.
46% of new hires say they didn’t receive enough information about their job during the onboarding process.
MORE LIKELY FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS
Onboarding has reduced their anxiety as new employees for 62% of Gen Z employees.
How Gen Zs receive onboarding: In person onboarding: 55%; hybrid onboarding: 24%; virtual onboarding: 21%.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the onboarding process, 86% of organizations indicated that their shift to remote work has been successful or very successful.
COMPANIES INDICATING SUCCESSFUL REMOTE WORK SHIFT
29% of HR professionals say they already started virtual hiring for at least 30% of the open positions, whereas 23% say they are doing almost 50% of the hiring virtually.
87% of respondents are “very committed” to adopting AI for a smooth hiring and onboarding process.
An employer who asks for feedback is 91% more likely to build a positive relationship with new employees, reduce turnover and boost long term retention.
MORE LIKELY TO BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH FEEDBACK
New employees need at least 8 months to become as efficient as their regular coworkers.
SOURCES: TALENTLMS, STARKFLOW, LACKORECOUTURE, LEENA AI’S THE STATE OF EMPLOYEE ONBOARDING REPORT 2022, EPIGNOSISHQ, MY ENAMEL, MYWOODRINGS PINS, CONTINU.COM
Asking for feedback after the onboarding process, or even after individual segments of the process, goes a long way in making the new employee feel valued and part of the company. Explain how the survey results will be used to improve the experience and the importance of the feedback. Keep the survey brief (around 15 minutes should do it). Consider conducting incremental surveys throughout the first three months of the employee joining.
Building and strengthening relationships among employees doesn’t have to come after the onboarding process. Consider creating a buddy or mentorship program with a veteran employee, preferably one with similar job duties or in the same department. This mentor is more likely to understand the new hire’s perception and experience than a higher-level manager or a human resource professional. Host a new employee lunch focused on relationship building instead of focusing on company policy. Make sure to incorporate fun games and friendly competitions
While the onboarding experience shouldn’t be overwhelming, briefly explaining how new hires can advance their careers within the company can enhance the overall process. Include a simple chronology of how other employees have advanced within the organization. This might include promotions and lateral moves. This helps form an image of long-term employment and lays out an attainable goal from Day 1 DSN
OF GEN Z EMPLOYEES SAY ONBOARDING HAS REDUCED THEIR ANXIETY AS NEW EMPLOYEES .
EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY and personalized customer experience have paved the way for product customization. From customized packaging to messaging to building unique product combinations, consumers are willing to pay top dollar for customization. According to a study by YouGov, 49 percent of Americans are interested in buying customized items.
“Retailers that take part in product customization trends have the opportunity to increase product sales and build repeat business,” according to a Forbes article. “Consumers personalizing products more toward their liking before a purchase is made is poised to turn production on its head and revolutionize business.”
Technology allows people to digitally customize products and preview them before ordering. This encourages creativity and strengthens the connection between customer and the products or brand. Customers are building product combinations that are in line with their unique goals, selecting suggested items that target their needs. Customers who buy customized products are also much more likely to create a robust customer profile with valuable information. In a sense, they are creating their own brand within the company’s brand. Customers are also more likely
49% of Americans are interested in buying customized items.
NIKE, COCA-COLA AND OAKLEY are three major brands that have embraced customization.
to share customized products and their creations on social media. This trend can be a great fit for the direct selling industry which is historically built on strong personal relationships.
“Today’s consumers are less concerned about fitting in and more concerned about standing out,” said Zakeke, an eCommerce design software company. “Building your own personal brand—and owning things that reflect your personality, values and tastes—is more important than ever.”
Designing pre-selected packaging templates, designing your own branded swag and perhaps even choosing product options with different ingredients could become a common customer
experience. Nike, Coca-Cola and Oakley are three major brands that have embraced customization— and have even developed detailed online customization tools. Mary Kay, IDLife and Total Life Changes are examples of direct selling companies moving toward increased personalization and product combinations specific to unique goals and needs.
“The benefit of customization is that it further strengthens the user experience for the customer by inviting them to become partners in the product creation process,” explained an article by The Good Group. “The better the user experience, the better opportunity for conversions.” DSN
adapted to ensure the health and safety of workers; to stay compliant with state and local requirements; and to keep their businesses running in spite of uncertainty and lockdowns. Working from home—a long standing staple within the direct selling distributor field—became the new norm for many corporate employees as well.
But now, as COVID slips ever so slowly into the past, the transition of these employees back to the office—full time, part time or in some cases, not at all—is underway, and it is fraught with challenges that could make this a defining moment in a company’s ability to recruit and retain employees.
So how long might it take, post-COVID for a return to a morning huddle without Zoom? Is it a priority for you to fill those seats at headquarters? Do employees, whose work landscape forever changed as a result of the pandemic, want to come back full-time? What could be gained or lost if they do or do not?
How direct selling companies are handling this return to headquarters runs the gamut. Timing depends on corporate attitudes and philosophies, workforce demographics, cultural concerns and maybe—to some extent—geography.
Stanford researchers discovered the backto-office pace depends a great deal on where companies are located. Small and mid-size cities, where employees usually commute by car have been chatting up their colleagues in offices for so long it already looks normal. But in larger cities that rely on mass transit and possess highly competitive job markets, employee expectations weigh heavy and remote work numbers remain higher.
Direct selling growth start-up, Red Aspen employs just 60 at its corporate offices in Meridian, Idaho. They believe in-person contact to be crucial to
1 / MAINTAINING CULTURE AND CONNECTIVITY ARE KEY CHALLENGES TO WORKING REMOTE Building and bettering relationships must be a priority in a completely remote environment.
2 / WORK-LIFE BALANCE IS PARAMOUNT IN A POST-PANDEMIC LANDSCAPE Employees (and employers) recognize the importance of a flexible schedule and are actively seeking out ways to achieve it.
As they continue to become a greater force in the workplace, their needs will take higher priorities.
solidifying their fledgling culture, so everyone has been back in the office for months now. Still, they recognize that life requires flexibility. And it’s something their young worker demographic wants, so they’ve delivered.
“Folks outside our shipping team have options to work from home one day a week…It’s been working out really well,” Matthew Kuzio, Red Aspen’s CFO/ Chief of People Services shared.
Employees choose their remote times, but Red Aspen expects in-person attendance at crossdepartmental meetings. These remote days give people the space—both literally and figuratively— they need to work on bigger projects. Squeezed for square footage, Red Aspen is relocating to larger offices none too soon.
“It’s great. I actually see the benefits of when people do work from home that one day. It gives them a little more uninterrupted work time, so output increases because of that,” Kuzio said.
Fair Haven, Michigan-based, Total Life Changes takes a harder line. They are big proponents of getting workers into the office. The company operates on energy and the frequency and vibration of making emotional connections. Scott Bania, COO, believes that only happens in person.
“Everyone is working in the office. That’s what we encourage and promote,” Bania said.
TLC has introduced flex scheduling in shipping logistics, which drops workers to a six-day work week, shorter hours and provides three shift options. Customer Service is also adopting some of these components. And on an individualized basis, they consider flexible schedules to attract qualified job candidates.
SeneGence, a Lake Forest, California company, recognized the need to find a healthy balance for employees, who loved the benefits of working from home, being productive and still part a fully functioning team. They also needed to address health concerns of high-risk employees, the needs of parents juggling inconsistent return-to-school schedules and re-establishing after-school care, as well as replace employees who relocated voluntarily during the pandemic.
“I personally would prefer to see all staff back in the office full-time. I love the hustle and bustle and collaboration of in-office work, as well as having an exciting and lively in-office environment when our distributors visit. But I understand and acknowledge the benefits of offering a hybrid schedule to our staff. We have seen a happier and better adjusted staff as they return to in-office work by offering this option,” Joni Rogers-Kante, Founder/CEO, SeneGence said.
For some companies, like eXp Realty and Amare Global, the decision to transition back to a brick and mortar workplace is moot because they are fully remote.
It was the Great Recession of 2007-2009, not COVID, that facilitated eXp’s entry into the remote space. “When the housing market crashed in the aughts, it was clear that real estate needed to reinvent itself, and how we conducted business at eXp was under our control. A virtual world gave us a strong start, while responding to what the industry really needed, at a time when less agile real estate agencies were failing,” Glenn Sanford, Founder, eXp Realty, explained.
Sanford adopted Virbela as a virtual solution in 2016 and imagined a new world for work as eXp World with some 75,000 real estate agents in the U.S., Canada and 17 other countries. Work from Wi-Fi, work-life balance, round-the-clock support, agent diversity and camaraderie, as well as cutting edge technology make this remote business model successful.
Amare Global’s home office sits within a health and wellness campus in Irvine, California. CEO Jared Turner said the company is totally remote and probably always will be, yet the mental
wellness company offers amenities like a full gym, yoga studio, walking trails, indoor and outdoor working spaces, bike rentals and more to those who engage there.
“Our executive team is spread across four states, and we hire talent from all over the country. I think that’s an advantage to have the ability to hire people from wherever, but the disadvantage is you don’t have that in-person connection and contact that allows you to really build some of that in-person culture. We’ve had to do that all online and through other meetings in person,” Turner said.
The pandemic pushed some companies harder and further than they could’ve expected when it came to adopting technologies, establishing remote work norms, learning to trust their employees and even changing PTO/sick day policies. Let’s face it—no one is interested in employees suffering through a common cold at work anymore.
The flip side that resonates with employees is a new, post-COVID expectation of what a workday should be and how it fits into their lives. After countless months showing just how agile they can be, workers want reciprocity from their employers. Seasoned professionals may feel they’ve proved themselves worthy of flexible schedules, while Gen Z evolved formative attitudes amid their early career years during isolating lockdowns.
Gen Z looks deeper—beyond just money—and is willing to job hop to find it. They want to work in a hybrid way from an office and remote locations. They want employers that prioritize their wellness and mental health; growth opportunities and mentorship; workplace diversity, respect, equity and inclusion; ethics; and investments in what they value most. Gen Z watches your engagement levels on social media and Glassdoor, and they study your corporate cultures and initiatives to assess the likelihood you get the chance to hire them.
Simply put…Gen Z wants you to care as much about them as people, as you care about their contributions to the corporate bottom line. And with their numbers expected to exceed 87 million workers by 2030—30 percent workforce employment total in the U.S. and five other countries according to an
Offering a hybrid work model keeps our company competitive! Without having this as an option, potential qualified candidates have plenty of other employment options to choose from.
Oxford Economics study—employers everywhere may do well to treat Gen Z desires as demands.
“Offering a hybrid work model keeps our company competitive! Without having this as an option, potential qualified candidates have plenty of other employment options to choose from. Current employees choose to stay with us, rather than look for new opportunities since their needs are heard and acknowledged,” Rogers explained.
But flexibility is incremental in some companies including at TLC where function is a determining factor for off-site work and can conflict with recruits’ priorities. “It’s hard to compete with an offer of increased compensation and full-time work from home,” Bania said.
“We are trying to accommodate the Gen Z population and offering some flexible hours so that we can retain them,” he added.
Red Aspen’s remote work flexibility ebbs and flows to coordinate with the company’s goal-setting trimesters. “Folks know the expectations. When we are summiting together, it’s all hands on deck at all times, in terms of planning vacations, personal lives, etc. So, in the slower months, folks have so much more flexibility, and we’re happy to give that because we know they’re going to be there when we need them in the busiest parts of the year,” Kuzio said.
Psychological safety, dependability, impact, meaning, structure and clarity, Turner said, are foundational to the highest performing teams at every company. Amare Global embraces that as a driving cultural force behind their strategic planning. By focusing on psychological safety, they successfully engage employees’ hearts and emotions, all while being totally remote.
“You have to make them feel like they’re part of something meaningful…I mean, at the end of the day, we have like 4,000 weeks to live and a lot of that time is spent in jobs. So, what are you creating in those jobs—where people spend the majority of their time—so that people give you their best and feel like they’re adding meaning to their lives?” Turner asked.
Some CEOs believe remote work flexibility could be the single most important human resources issue of their careers and a defining moment for the direct selling industry. Fully remote companies look at it as a non-issue because they were built for it from the beginning. Either way, countless considerations— potential gains and losses—remain.
How does remote work really affect corporate culture? Can technology sufficiently foster the connections necessary for people to relate in terms of diversity, inclusion or buy-in to corporate mission and initiatives? Where’s the productivity tipping point—one, two, three remote days? Would money saved on physical office space best be reinvested in attractive compensation and increased employee training? How do we track employee productivity without being intrusive? Could reluctant workers be enticed back to the office by meeting childcare and after-school care needs on-site? Does our location hinder leadership-level recruitment?
But, perhaps, the biggest question of all: How much more might we be able to accomplish? DSN
WHICH TRENDS ARE LEADING THE INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW AND HOW TO IDENTIFY THE NEXT BIG THING.
—KELLY BELLEROSE / 4Life Senior Vice President of Marketing
OR MORE THAN A CENTURY, the direct selling industry has built its foundation on the bedrock of relationship marketing, with recruitment and team building serving as critical pillars of its structure. While the social selling model has fueled its quick scale across the globe and is still vital to its success, the channel is experiencing an evolution when it comes to what it chooses to prioritize and accentuate.
Today, products and the customers who buy them are taking center stage. It’s a shift that has placed the spotlight on up-and-coming ingredients and taken the emphasis once reserved for recruitment and placed it squarely on customer favorites and product trends.
The companies who have made this switch point to a number of catalysts, but growing FTC scrutiny has certainly played a role.
“Due to increasing regulatory focus and constraints being placed on our channel from government agencies, many companies have shifted their focus more on their amazing products,” said Kelly Bellerose, 4Life Senior Vice President of Marketing. “I still believe the largest percentage of people that are participating with direct sales companies are more product-focused anyway. It just feels like the channel is evolving with the times, into what is a more natural flow for them and the consumer.”
Being a company that is product-driven means doubling down on the ingredients that not only deliver impressive results but also become part of a larger discussion in the consumer community. Discovering these movement-launching ingredients can be tricky, but those who do it successfully are awarded not only a significant piece of the market but something even more valuable: customer loyalty and attention.
To unlock the hottest product trends, many industry leaders say they look for a gap in the marketplace— an unmet need or problem that customers may not even be aware of. Combining a solution that meets this need with a brand’s unique strengths and market niche is often the sweet spot for what will ultimately become the next big thing.
1 / PRODUCTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT TO DIRECT SELLING THAN EVER BEFORE With increasing FTC scrutiny surrounding the opportunity, the channel needs to stay ahead of the product curve to remain relevant.
2 / HOT PRODUCTS CONVERGE AT THE CROSSROADS OF CUTTING-EDGE SCIENCE AND CUSTOMER NEED
For product development opportunities, look for a gap in the marketplace as well as unexpected consumer problems in search of solutions.
3 / DIRECT SELLING IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO TELL COMPELLING PRODUCT STORIES THAT MOVE THE NEEDLE Complex products and science are made more understandable through relatable, genuine stories shared by product (and brand) advocates.
Young Living found this winning combination in the early nineties when company founder D. Gary Young struggled to find essential oils that had consistently high quality. Witnessing this unmet need in the marketplace, he and wife Mary developed an organic herb farming and distillation operation that would help launch an essential oils movement that continues today.
“Gary was an innovator; he didn’t follow popular trends or jump on the bandwagon of what was hot in the market,” said Dr. Hsueh-Kung (HK) Lin, Young Living Chief Scientist. “We are guided by nature, and if a new way to harness nature’s living energy is discovered, we explore those resources.”
Similarly popular movements are launching in the direct selling space around the cutting-edge product superstars that customers and distributors will be talking about for months and years to come. While there are plenty of powerhouse products and brands driving the narrative in the direct selling space, three standout product categories are leading the crowd: collagen, nootropics and CBD topicals.
Hot topics make for great products, and collagen gets a lot of press from news outlets, bloggers and beauty and fitness influencers. What began as a popular beauty product in Japan and other Asian markets is now mainstream in America with a reputation for being an important component to healthy skin, hair and nails. During the market’s early adoption of collagen, it was seen as a protein for women that fit neatly within the beauty category. Today, collagen is more of an inside-out beauty protein marketed to everyone for its importance in supporting healthy connective tissues throughout the body.
“Our bodies are comprised of about 30 percent collagen,” Bellerose said. “Well built collagen supplements featuring hydrolyzed collagen peptides might benefit your entire body by delivering collagen that your body can actually take up and use and by assisting your body to create and maintain its own collagen. The result is healthier skin, hair and nails and a body that can look better, feel better and even move better, making the aging process more youthful and enjoyable. Depending on the types of collagens used in a formula, you could easily have a total body collagen product. That’s what our original Targeted Transfer Factor collagen is—a total body age-defying collagen supplement.”
When 4Life launched its Targeted Transfer Factor Collagen product in 2020, customers confirmed the company’s belief that it would be a momentum building addition. In two years, the company has sold more than one million units, accounting for almost $40 million in sales, and it now directly competes with their three top-selling flagship immune products.
“This new product category has had a huge impact on our bottom line,” Bellerose said. “We knew due to the popularity of collagen that it would do well, but we did not expect it to rival our flagship products!”
Companies who are at the leading edge of revolutionary ingredients that capture the market are often also paying attention to niche interests that are completely unrelated to their category. Plexus, for instance, noticed a significant increase in the percentage of consumers engaging in online gaming. While Plexus doesn’t target the gaming demographic specifically, they do cater to multitasking consumers looking for improved mental clarity and memory enhancement. Taking into account that multitaskers, like the gaming community, often turn to caffeinated drinks for a brain boost, only to suffer a mental crash soon after, Plexus introduced Plexus Edge. This nootropics backed supplement was designed to offer a healthier energy option that customers could rely on to help improve their focus.
“If you look at 15- to 25-year-olds, they’re usually on multiple devices,” said Michael D’Arminio, Plexus Chief Marketing Officer. “When you add up the number of hours they spend on those devices combined, it’s constant. They want that sense of clarity and energy sustainability to push them forward. This spans all age groups. The expectations vary based on age, but the end game is the same: they want to win. Nootropics is a marketing category that will continue to explode.”
Unlike the straightforward composition of collagen, nootropics are a more complex entity that can show up as a number of different ingredients— herbs, adaptagens, caffeine, alkaloid, theacrine. It’s up to formulators and designers to decide which nootropics iteration best serves the goal at hand.
“Nootropics is the category to watch for the next few decades,” said Dr. Suk Cho, Plexus Senior Vice President of Product Innovation. “Memory enhancement is a big deal. As we get older, if we can’t think or process and have focus and clarity, that is very frustrating. Both young and old consumers are looking for ways to get healthy and improve brain function.”
Some of the most riveting product trends are born out of controversial topics, like cannabidiol (CBD) that has been a divisive subject for decades. Prior to the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed CBD from the federal list of Schedule 1 controlled substances, CBD was lumped in with marijuana and the psychoactive chemical tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. It was guilt by association, and even though CBD with a low threshold of THC was cleared as an authorized ingredient, its long history of prohibition made it one of the most controversial trends in the making.
Today, CBD is known for more than its flashy reputation. It binds with endocannabinoid receptors found throughout the body, which can help the body stay in balance. Depending on the formulation, CBD can potentially provide calming benefits or be leveraged to reduce redness, fine lines and wrinkles in the skin. Young Living’s Calm Roll-On and CBD Beauty Boost are two products that seek to offer these respective benefits.
But with controversial ingredients come unique challenges. Even after CBD was legally unleashed on the market in 2019, the FDA continues to ban
I have twenty years of experience working with direct-selling clients to help them improve and streamline business processes. I specialize in helping clients with their accounting, benchmarking and forecasting needs, as well as integrating their disparate systems so they can all work as one. We are experienced in helping with foreign currency and exchange rates, warehouse management, and accounting for multiple subsidiaries in various countries around the globe.
The tagline "AUDIT.TAX.ADVISORY" on ly accompanies the logo in cir cumstances where context requires c larification about what Squire can do for current and potential customers (the audience).
dietary supplements and food and drink products from including CBD because of a patent held by one pharmaceutical company. While there are plenty of companies within the direct selling space who have chosen to introduce CBD as tinctures, dietary supplements and drink blends, Young Living has planted its CBD product position firmly in the non-drug topical category, citing a deep commitment to following the rules and obeying the law.
For example, Squire.com and its subsequent web pages featu r e the onet agline version (HIGHER PE RSPECTIVE ONLY) of the Squire logo because the subpage content t hroughout the site provides adequate co ntext to visitors.
On the other hand, if the team attends a national financial trade show where Sq uire should differentiate itself from a n eighboring financial software co mpany, then trade show banners n eed to include the tagline, “Audit- TaxA dvisory.”
One-tagline version of
color logo Secondary-tagline version of full color logo
One-tagline version of white logo
INTEGRATION SPECIALIST“Continued research and development on the benefits of CBD will create new opportunities for innovative products as scientific research proves interconnections between CBD and the endocannabinoid system,” said Dr. Lin. “With the benefits we know right now, we believe the staying power of CBD products is strong and will continue to grow in direct sales for years to come.”
Creating a product that rises to the top of the trend cycles is no easy task, but it’s one the direct selling industry is uniquely equipped for. Interpersonal relationships provide consumer insights and real-time feedback that can help predict market trends, while one-on-one training can transform the science and data behind complex products into neatly packaged stories that are consumer-friendly. It’s a market differentiator that leading direct selling brands are leaning into as they search for and design their customers’ next favorite products.
“We’ve really focused on great results backed by science and telling the story of the product’s impact on people’s lives,” D’Arminio said. “That’s really valuable and it doesn’t exist in any other channel.” DSN
PRODUCT INNOVATION CONTINUES TO BE A TRUE DIFFERENTIATOR FOR DIRECT SELLING COMPANIES. As a channel, we are known for bringing the latest cutting edge services and ingredients to market, creating the crave-worthy products that consumers want, need and expect. Our editorial staff believes these are the two “next big things” to watch in the months to come.
Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant produced in cells. It’s comprised largely of three amino acids: glutamine, glycine and cysteine. According to healthline.com, boosting glutathione may provide many health benefits, including reducing oxidative stress.
High-sulfur foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, eggs and legumes help boost the natural production of glutathione in the body. However, those levels decline naturally with age; they may also be reduced by other factors including poor nutrition, environmental toxins and stress.
Glutathione can be given intravenously, topically or as an inhalant. It’s also available as an oral supplement in capsule and liquid form. Direct selling brands including Immunotec, Herbalife and USANA already have glutathione as part of their supplement offerings. We forecast that this ingredient will continue to gain in popularity as more consumers become aware of its health benefits.
Another emerging trend gaining traction is product bundles centered around detoxification and resetting your metabolism. The premise is simple: jumpstart your metabolism by reprogramming your genes during a short detoxification period.
Prüvit’s 60-hour Keto Reboot is just one example of utilizing a targeted product bundle to maximize energy, control cravings and protect lean muscle mass. The best programs go one step beyond a simple product offering and include additional resources such as community groups, recipes and meal planning.
These intensive programs are so popular because they offer a guided pathway to better habits, more energy and a faster metabolism.
“ It’s a market differentiator that leading direct selling brands are leaning into.
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The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method popularized in the late 1980s, in which a kitchen timer is used to divide work into block intervals, separated by short breaks. The Work & Rest app utilizes this technique, which is intended to create focus and flow by reducing interruptions and scheduling breaks. Using the gamified interface, you can customize your goals and track your progress, thereby increasing your productivity through this simple time management strategy.
Based on author Peter Bregman’s popular blogs for Harvard Business Review, Leading with Emotional Courage posits that what really gets results and sets great leaders apart from the rest is emotional courage. This includes having the ability to speak up when others stay silent, remain stable through uncertainty and weather anger without defensiveness. Through practical, real-world advice, Bregman provides ways to build your “emotional courage muscle” as a leader.
KIM SCOTT
This New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller has been praised around the globe for decoding effective leadership. Author Kim Scott’s experiences working at Google and Apple inspired Radical Candor, which details how to build authentic relationships with team members through caring personally and challenging directly. Scott explains how to avoid common management pitfalls and create radically candid relationships that help you love your work—and those you work with
HERE’S WHAT we think you (and your field) should be reading, listening to and utilizing in order to stay engaged, informed and one step ahead.
Founded in 2012 and boasting over 107 million users, Coursera is a proven learning platform that offers online courses from leading companies and universities around the world. Not only does the site offer degrees and professional certifications, but it provides thousands of free courses on just about any topic. Your field can sharpen a variety of skills or broaden their knowledgebase with classes like “The Science of Well-Being” from Yale or “Successful Negotiation” from the University of
Building or breaking a habit requires training and repetition—and more often than not, powerful extrinsic motivation. Habit-Bull is a one-stop-productivity shop that keeps track of habits, goals, routines and to-do lists, providing inspiration, reminders and scoring along the way. Simply set up an action and track your progress. Habit-Bull allows users to compete with themselves in a gamified, private setting, which is also perfect for breaking bad habits like smoking or spending too much time on social media.
From creating a sales empire on Amazon to producing digital courses, entrepreneur, author and professional coach Scott Voelker has made a career of building businesses online and teaching others to do the same. In his podcast, Rock Your Brand, Voelker imparts his knowledge of business ownership and brand building in free, bite-sized pieces. Podcast episodes cover relatable topics like staying motivated when results are slow and preventing burnout, while also providing marketing tips, such as how frequently to post content and how to generate more sales via email DSN
PODCAST / Rock Your Brand SCOTT VOELKER
Around here, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious...
—WALT DISNEY
FOR MORE than 30 years, CEO Kevin Guest has had a front row seat for USANA’s steady growth and commitment to innovation. As he and the company celebrate three decades in business, the team is more excited about what lies ahead for USANA, the possibilities on the horizon and a growing global presence.
FOUNDED: 1992 HEADQUARTERS: Salt Lake City, UT
TOP EXECUTIVE: Kevin Guest, Chairman and CEO Jim Brown, President
PRODUCT CATEGORY: Health and Wellness
Exceedingly few companies have the privilege of celebrating 30 years in business, as average company lifespans have been consistently shrinking. With sexy startups and technology darlings dominating the headlines, it’s easy to forget that consistency is often the most important factor in the success or failure of a business. And it’s anything but boring
“I think one of the hallmarks to our success for the past 30 years is discipline,” Kevin Guest, Chairman and CEO shared. “What I’m most excited about is that the base that we have to jump off from for the next 30 years is extremely solid. We have a great balance sheet. We have no debt. We have all the things in place along with a great product offering.”
The company’s consistency also shines in their commitment to the same core values for three decades.
“ Thinking about the consumer first and working backwards is a completely different approach than we’ve done in 30 years in our business.
“In our 30-year history, our core values have never changed,” said President Jim Brown. “Excellence, community, health and integrity have always been the guiding principles for our company. We have also seen our USANA family grow significantly around the world the past 30 years, but the family feel has always stayed the same.”
USANA currently operates in 24 international markets with over 900 corporate employees in the United States and 1,952 employees abroad. The company serves over 560,000 active customers, comprised of USANA Associates and Preferred Customers.
As USANA rounds the corner on three decades in the industry, the company is focused on three key areas: product innovation, strategic relationships and international expansion
While the company has launched well over a hundred products and product updates in their three decades in business, USANA’s dedication to impeccably high standards has never wavered. Dr. Myron Wentz, microbiologist and USANA’s founder, chose to set standards he hoped the rest of the direct sales industry would follow when he laid the groundwork for the science company.
“Because of Dr. Wentz’s background, he was used to creating products that were in the
pharmaceutical realm and had to be accepted by hospitals and doctors,” Kevin explained. “Thirty years ago, he set out to make sure that our vitamins were produced under the same standards, which back then was unheard of. Even today, it’s not widely done. We’re an FDA-registered facility, which we’re not required to be creating nutritional supplements. That has filtered its way through all three decades. We’ve really, really tried to hold our reputation up like that as we go through the years.”
Though no new products are scheduled to launch in the immediate future, USANA’s Research and Development team is hard at work developing new ways to maintain health through enhancements to the existing product lines and new innovations outside of traditional oral supplements.
“My hope is that we’ll find new ways to deliver nutrition outside of a pill,” Kevin shared. “That’s something we’re talking a lot about, something that we would love to work on. We’re seeing other innovations happen. We have yet to see a different delivery system that can offer the same amount
of dosage that we want to deliver as it relates to nutritional supplements. That’s just the hope of mine that we’ll see coming in the future. The other thing that really has our attention are wearables to help monitor our fitness outside of what we’re consuming, so we can keep track and use technology to help us be healthier by being more aware.”
Innovations outside the company’s product offerings are also in development, including new opportunities for USANA’s Associates in the field.
“The next few months to close out 2022 will feature some big changes but will also be a time of development and getting things ready for 2023,” Jim shared.
“First off, we are launching a new business opportunity later this year that will be huge for the company and will give Associates and customers alike a new way of selling.”
As USANA pursues new and innovative ways of maintaining healthy lives and healthy businesses, the team is actively pursuing relationships that will help the company achieve its long-term goals.
“We’re going to continue to pursue strategic relationships,” Kevin explained. “Whether that’s through business acquisition or through relationships where we can be part owners in companies that could help us increase our core competencies; help us enter a different marketplace; or help us bring some innovation. Those are probably the key areas that we’re looking for in a strategic relationship. But we’re aggressively moving forward in those areas as well as the company.”
While so much has remained constant throughout USANA’s history, one important shift for the company has been to make the consumer the starting point for decisions regarding Associate incentives and promotions. As in every direct sales company, the success of USANA’s field team is paramount to the success of the company. But by focusing on the
consumer, understanding their expectations and the value the product represents to them, USANA is more powerfully equipping their Associates.
“Thinking about the consumer first and working backwards is a completely different approach than we’ve done in 30 years in our business,” Kevin said. “It all comes down to, what is your value proposition to the person that’s consuming your product? You have to meet their expectations, or you lose them and they’re no longer your customer. If we could start there, I think it increases the value proposition, and we’re more likely to fulfill our product promise and beat their expectation from a value proposition so that they will continue to reorder from us.”
As USANA works backwards from consumer motivations to Associate business support, incentives and promotions, the team has noticed how differently those expectations are amongst the 24 global markets they serve. And they’re planning to notice even more differences as USANA enters new markets in the coming years. Following their tried-and-true, disciplined approach to expansion, Kevin and the team are confident in their next steps abroad.
“You’ll see many companies that are 30 years old that are in four times the countries that we’re in,” he explained. “We’ve decided that we’re going to move to new countries as we become profitable in the countries we’re in without spreading our resources too thin. Then we can give our all to the areas we’ve committed to. Something you’ll see in the future is that we’re going to continue to expand internationally and grow internationally. We haven’t opened a new market in quite some time, but we believe as a company we’re ready to move in that direction. International expansion will be something we can look forward to in the future.”
With as much to look forward to as they have to celebrate, USANA is ready to pursue the next three decades with the same discipline, integrity and innovation that has served them well all these years. DSN
I think one of the hallmarks to our success for the past 30 years is discipline.
—KEVIN GUEST / Chairman and CEO
The travel industry has endured more than its share of challenges in the last three years, and travel is more than back—it’s booming.
BY JENNY VETTERITH 33 MILLION cruise passengers projected by 2026, the cruise industry is primed for a huge comeback. And for inGroup Partners and Members, the good news doesn’t stop there.
FOUNDED: 2015 HEADQUARTERS: San Juan, Puerto Rico
TOP EXECUTIVES: Co-Founders & Co-CEOs Michael “Hutch” Hutchison and Frank Codina
PRODUCT CATEGORY: Travel Club Memberships
When inCruises launched its flagship Membership program in 2016, Co-Founders Frank Codina and Michael “Hutch” Hutchison were ready to take on the world. Within four years, inCruises became a hundredmillion-dollar business and was poised for even more aggressive growth. But that fourth year was 2020, when cruising abruptly came to a halt amidst the global pandemic
“Most of the industry was shut down and was longer than any other industry,” shared Hutch. “You could get on an airplane. You could check into a hotel. You could go to Disneyland, but you couldn’t get on a cruise.”
While industry peers began to downsize or were forced to shut down completely, inCruises managed to emerge stronger than before. The company grew during 2020, one of the few travel companies to experience growth that year. Hutch, Frank and their team refunded their Members’ canceled cruises instead of issuing future cruise credits. They worked with Members who were unable to make their monthly membership payments. Even Members who couldn’t stay current with their memberships were invited back with their past Reward Points honored. Beyond Member management, the team pivoted quickly to find ways to strengthen the company for the future.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, as the saying goes,” Hutch said. “We strengthened our executive team. We strengthened our relationship with the cruise lines. We made better agreements. We’re moving towards more direct relationships with them that wouldn’t have taken place if our model wasn’t so resilient.”
inCruises announced a new name in August and is now known as inGroup. The new name reflects the expanding roster of products currently available and planned for the future. inStays was launched to provide the ability to book hotel and resort reservations and expand travel possibilities from surf to turf. Hutch shared that there’s even more to come.
“Cruising is now only part of our story,” he explained. “In April this year, we enhanced our Membership with hotels and resorts for no additional cost. So, we now have more than 190,000 vacation options that Members can use their Reward Points to book and offer cruise itineraries, hotel and resort choices worldwide. In the future, we plan to launch one new product every 12 months. These will be travelbased product extensions, whether tours, transfers or excursions. It’s all under the inGroup umbrella, and we’re excited about what will come from that.”
“ No other industry within direct selling puts the money into product launches the way the cruise industry does.
—MICHAEL “HUTCH” HUTCHISON
Now in its seventh year in business, inGroup has over one million registered Members in 198 countries, enjoying travel savings possibilities in destinations worldwide. These members were all personally invited by one of the company’s 73,000 active Partners and are supported by a corporate team of around 100 employees
Prospective Partners looking to build an inGroup business can sign up with a $95 activation payment that gives them access to a digital portal with all the tools and resources they’ll need to get started. In addition, new Partners can access initial online Basic Training and ongoing development through the company’s Leadership Academy. As a result, they tend to attract first-time cruisers as they share membership possibilities with friends, family and other contacts.
“That’s what the cruise lines love about us,” Hutch shared. “Anytime you bring somebody a new customer, it’s a win. With all the uncertainty and ambiguity in the industry, we bring them new customers and solid bookings. Customers who cruise and cruise often know everything. They have their rhythm, travel agent and loyalty group; they know the cabins they want to sail in. But we bring value to the cruise lines by solving that problem of acquiring new and committed bookings, which they love.”
As the industry continues to invest in new and bigger ships, inGroup Partners will benefit from these exciting and consistent product launches for the foreseeable future, considering each new ship is a billion-dollar product, and more than 75 new ships are expected to launch between now and 2027.
“No other industry within direct selling puts the money into product launches the way that the cruise industry does,” Hutch shared. “And no other company in the travel industry provides the level of savings and convenience on a global basis that we do.”
Hutch and Frank want to do so much more than save travelers money on incredible vacations—they want to create lasting legacies for every inGroup Partner that joins the team.
“The ultimate reward for an entrepreneur, for Hutch and me, is legacy—a transition plan,” Frank explained. “The thing that I’m most excited about is that we made a decision this past year to share in the ownership of our company.”
While still a vision in development, inGroup hopes to offer shared ownership to Partners in 2023—a decision that aligns with the path Hutch and Frank have encouraged their leaders to follow since launching the business. Leadership, legacy and impact have all been at the core of the company’s training and development program since the beginning.
“If you just look at the evolution of all we have done coming out of the pandemic—the membership enhancement, the partnership enhancement, the branding enhancement—that all led to ownership,” Hutch shared. “We’re always looking for ways to help our key leaders become financially independent. So, when you make these decisions to evolve the brand of your company, to update the compensation plan, and to refund customers money, then it’s not just Frank’s and my pocket that it’s coming out of, it’s coming out of everybody’s pocket. We’re all on one page. We have a bright future. We have collective energy and focus together.”
With a new name, new product offerings and an ever-growing list of destinations, ships and hotels to share with new Members worldwide, inGroup offers a unique opportunity within the direct selling industry for prospective Partners. With shared ownership on the horizon for Partners in the field, the company will soon offer what Hutch sees as a much greater possibility: impact.
“I say to our team and leaders, ‘Do you look for somebody that wants to travel, or do you look for somebody that wants to make an impact?’” Hutch said. “Most people answer, ‘Those that want to travel.’ But I say, ‘No, you want to look for those that want to make an impact—those making an impact doing meaningful work.’” DSN
“ The thing that I’m most excited about is that we made a decision this past year to share in the ownership of our company.
—FRANK CODINA
The simple act of sharing a meal with friends and family has become more precious than ever before, after far too long spent apart.
BY JENNY VETTERCOMPANY founded in 1883, is growing its operations in the United States, introducing a revolutionary way to bring people back to the table. The Thermomix, Vorwerk’s multi-use kitchen appliance, has been inspiring home cooks around the world for over 50 years and is now making a splash in American kitchens. Perfect timing, as all of us are more than ready to enjoy a great meal with the ones we love.
FOUNDED: 1883
HEADQUARTERS: Wuppertal, Germany
TOP EXECUTIVE: Fredrik Lundqvist, CEO Thermomix USA and Canada
PRODUCT CATEGORY: Cooking appliance www.directsellingnews.com
While perhaps an unfamiliar name on this side of the pond, Vorwerk has a nearly 140-year history in Europe, primarily as a provider of small home appliances. You could say it’s the $3.4 billion company most American ears have never heard of. The company is family owned and operated to this day, serving 60 markets around the world with two core businesses—Thermomix and Kobold vacuum cleaners
Fredrik Lundqvist, CEO of Thermomix USA and Canada, has been with the company for most of his career, most recently spending 10 years in Asia successfully launching Thermomix China. He now operates the American and Canadian business from Thermomix’s North American headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.
“I’ve been with the company for 18 years and appreciate how the founding family continues to make an impact on the daily activity and future of Vorwerk even today. Their vision and commitment as a family business has guided the company since the beginning and is one of the key factors to its success.”
A company which now taps into modern technology to meet consumers’ evolving smart kitchen needs, Thermomix’s early beginnings were inspired by a desire to make cooking simpler. In the 1960s, one of the products in the Vorwerk line was a blender. One of the Vorwerk sales managers, Hansjorg Gerber, was watching a sales demonstration that involved using the blender to make soup—adding ingredients, lighting the stove to heat the water, transferring the blended recipe to the stovetop, and he wondered if one appliance could replace all those individual steps.
“I like this story because it really shows that the Thermomix was born, not somewhere in an innovation lab, but with our customers in a real situation,” Fredrik explained. “Thermomix was born over 50 years ago out of a very simple idea, combining a mixer with a heating element. That one great idea spurned the success of what’s now a global business.”
That first Thermomix, the VM2000, was the first Vorwerk product to combine food processing and heating. Over the next five decades, the Thermomix would evolve to do so much more. Today, the latest Thermomix, the TM6, is a Wi-Fi-enabled “kitchen
Thermomix was born, not somewhere in an innovation lab, but out of a passion for making excellent food with ease.
—FREDRIK LUNDQVIST
assistant” with 24 cooking functions—from simple blending to sophisticated temperature control cooking—capable of delivering consistent, restaurant quality results at home.
The all-in-one countertop kitchen appliance— featured in Oprah, Good Housekeeping, New York Times, Goop and more—can execute over 80,000 recipes from start to finish with the ability to weigh, prep and prepare meals in a variety of cooking modes—from a simple sauté to a high brow sous vide. Cookidoo®, the company’s digital cooking platform, is the hub for an ever-growing library of Thermomix recipes, all accessible on the appliance’s 6.8-inch full-color touchscreen display screen. Home cooks simply choose their recipe and follow the step by step directions as the Thermomix automatically adjusts the cook time, temperature and speed for each step. But Fredrik is quick to point out, that even with all its technology and capabilities, Thermomix is still a simple piece of German engineering intended to make meal preparation easy and enjoyable.
“Over the past 50 years, Thermomix has spearheaded innovation in simple, healthy and delicious meal preparation and opened the door to the smart cooking category with our two most recent models,” Fredrik said. “Despite the high technology, it’s still a simple tool anyone can use, and which adapts to you and your family. You can follow recipes step by step from the screen or cook creations on your own with your personal style.”
Very few companies in the direct sales industry offer a single product, but Thermomix believes their one product approach allows them to prioritize their customers and deliver exceptional service
“Thermomix’s one product approach is unique: Instead of creating more items to clutter a kitchen, we can focus on our commitment to consumers and ensure they find daily value in their lives with easy-to-make and delicious healthy meals. Ideally, we hope you’re so excited you will want to join us or recommend to your friends,” he said. “We are committed to offering very durable products that are also future focused.”
Anyone with a deep appreciation for food can be successful here.
—FREDRIK LUNDQVIST
“
The growing team of U.S. Thermomix Independent Consultants joins the broader field of 100,000 consultants worldwide. Rather than a traditional starter or business kit, prospective consultants simply join the company when they’re ready to share Thermomix with friends and family. Some consultants own a Thermomix already; others participate in the company’s TM4U Program and earn the appliance through four personal sales within the 90-day Smart Start Period. Once a consultant joins, they’re provided with mentorship, education and tools to start sharing.
“The one thing that really defines our culture is our openness; anyone with a deep appreciation for food can be successful here,” Fredrik shared. “Our consultants come from very different backgrounds. Some are excited with the prospects of earnings and professional growth, while others are here just because they love cooking, and they want to learn more. Whichever the case, all enjoy and appreciate the sense of community. We’re all very passionate about food and that makes for an excellent culture.”
Thermomix is primarily sold through consultants. All other sales are directly through the company website, but even those sales include pop-up suggestions to choose a consultant to work with because that’s where the true magic happens.
As consultants share Thermomix in cooking demonstrations filled with all the sounds, smells and flavors of that experience, customers can fully understand the product and all that it can achieve.
“Thermomix isn’t just bringing family and friends back to the table, these live, in-person cooking demonstrations are bringing consultants and customers back to the personal interactions that are the hallmark of direct selling,” said Fredrik.
“After so many Zoom meetings and telephone conferences, we’re thrilled to come back together once again,” he said. “We believe it’s important to see, feel, and smell Thermomix in action and are working on new concepts—such as experience centers—where our consultants can meet amongst themselves and with prospective customers. A passion for food and human connection are the key ingredients for Thermomix success around the world. I know it’s the right recipe for us here as well in the U.S.”
As Thermomix grows stateside and adapts “the recipe” for American customers and consultants, Fredrik is both excited about what can be learned and confident in the company’s approach to building a new market.
“With just a few years under our belt, we’re excited about Thermomix’ prospects for success in America,” he explained. “Direct sales originated in the U.S., and the whole world has a lot to learn from this market and from this industry. We want to make the best of the company’s international success by tapping into the incredible opportunities in the North American market. We’re not going to be a German company. We’re going to be an American company with German roots.” DSN
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OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, the Federal Trade Commission’s targeting of the direct sales channel has become increasingly aggressive, and the channel may now be under the most intense regulatory and public scrutiny it has ever faced. Opponents appear to have taken a war footing, and what we collectively do now as an industry will determine the future of this great business model we love.
Meanwhile, the direct selling industry itself has migrated from in-person sales meetings and events toward more online and social media b ased marketing. This massive change has brought significant challenges and increased risks to direct sales companies, especially with regard to brand and regulatory liability. As field members increasingly use the internet to promote their businesses, companies invite more risk from uncontrolled or unmonitored claims by the field— often to disastrous effect.
As a result, compliance officers continue to play the world’s largest game of whacka-mole; retaining oversize compliance departments charged with constant Google searching in hope of finding anything afoul of corporate and legal guidelines. It is an expensive process, requiring immense effort and resources to be able to “catch” and review all online mentions. Even so, the tools often employed by companies are not capable of finding the real issues lurking in dark and distant corners of the internet.
So, what is the answer? It’s three words: Automated Compliance Monitoring. These systems improve the largely manual compliance processes previously used to comply with government regulations and protect brands. With automated monitoring, a company’s internal team can shift from the manual and low-skill work into higher level strategy, policy development and field communications, which are the hallmark and strength of the best compliance professionals.
WITH AUTOMATED MONITORING, a company’s internal team can shift from the manual and low skill work into higher level strategy, policy development and field communications, which are the hallmark and strength of the best compliance professionals.
ADDITIONALLY, FIELD REPRESENTATIVES should be trained in best practices by seizing opportunities to check potential posts for improper claims before they even go public via mobile app and other social posting platforms.
By enabling this approach, sophisticated tools are used to find information posted online in many different social channels (such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, videos and more) as well as basic search results that are normally identified in the course of daily business. As a result, many items and updates posted outside of compliance guidelines can be dealt with immediately, whether using pre-approved “in compliance” resolutions or directing mid to high-level issues to the correct compliance department person.
It seems simple enough, but too often companies can underestimate the scope of monitoring the entire internet. Hits from the dozens of online and social media sites means potentially millions of data points that must be culled and converted into violations for the team to follow up. Every violation generates a case file; many case files generate an investigation; and ultimately outreach to the field member in order to resolve the case. Each case can mean a dozen hours invested in a resolution, which clearly shows how manual processing of compliance management is cost prohibitive.
Simply put, direct selling companies are vulnerable in the internet age. Many compliance policy violations go undetected and unenforced due to the overwhelming difficulty tracking all independent representative activities on the internet. Rogue violators can expose a company to public embarrassment, litigation and regulatory action.
The internet and social media provide source material for law enforcement and consumer advocacy groups. An investigator may not receive many complaints to support an ongoing inquiry, but if he or she discovers dozens of YouTube videos about “how to become a millionaire” with your company, it may raise a red flag and spur further investigation.
Adequate monitoring requires more sophistication and resources than many companies can afford. Internal staff are often poorly trained in direct selling compliance guidelines and federal laws, which means they may overlook some problems and misunderstand others, resulting in serious consequences. Without the proper tools, staff can waste time and money while potentially exposing the company to future liability.
Companies should look for ways to identify, select and e nforce comprehensive company policies while doing it in an affordable manner. Automated Compliance Monitoring can provide such an answer by ensuring that everybody within an organization complies with corporate policies, governing body guidelines and federal laws while also providing documentation of policy enforcement to regulators.
Automated Compliance Monitoring easily identifies, scores and flags violations across most internet properties and social media sites. To be effective, the system should capture any problematic online activity that could harm an organization’s brand by seeking out any online mention through the use a search process that far surpasses the depth of a regular search engine. And when the system encounters a mid- to lowlevel compliance issue, it should be responded to immediately and appropriately cataloged for easy review, follow-up, investigation and enforcement—providing a clear audit trail. A “triage” process should also be implemented to ensure that the riskiest violations are immediately expedited to a company’s compliance team for follow-up. Additionally, field representatives should be trained in best practices by seizing
opportunities to check potential posts for improper claims before they even go public via mobile app and other social posting platforms.
Overall, this technology program should not only significantly reduce compliance costs, but the web combing features should increase search efficacy. The training provided through this system should also promote professional, thorough and effective communication between internal staff and field members. While a trained field salesforce promotes preemptive compliance in order to reduce overall exposure, an experienced monitoring team can provide informed recommendations for alerting representatives to concerns working within a company’s existing compliance structure, and demonstrate the company’s dedication to best practices in compliance.
With the above facets of a solid compliance program in place, should a regulator or other interested party inquire into a company’s practices, a company can state that it uses the best available compliance services and technology. DSN
A published author, accomplished technology consultant and sought-after speaker on topics of digital impact and direct selling, Jonathan Gilliam is the Founder & CEO of Momentum Factor, the leading provider of online compliance monitoring, online reputation management, and digital risk mitigation strategies for direct sellers.
International technology platform and logistics solutions for direct sellers.
The ICONIC INSIGHTS podcast goes one‑on‑one with some of the world’s best‑known authors, speakers, and innovators sharing their unique insights on entrepreneurship. Join host and social-selling thought leader Heather Chastain once a month for a candid conversation about doing your own thing – what works, what doesn’t and what’s next. Each episode will give you concrete takeaways and actionable advice to help you improve your entrepreneurial mindset, performance, and leadership.
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INTHE LATEST EPISODE OF ICONIC INSIGHTS , host Heather Chastain sits down with author, strategist and thought leader Tony Jeary. For more than 30 years, Tony has advised CEOs, entrepreneurs and other high achievers to help them discover new clarity for their vision, focus on their direction and develop powerful execution strategies that will deliver results.
In this interview, Tony shares some of the things he’s learned about how to think differently, the importance of getting clear on what matters and the value of focus.
HEATHER CHASTAIN: One of the things I like about you, Tony, is that even though you’re giving advice, it’s coming from the place of somebody who’s had to deliver results and your focus is always on that output.
TONY JEARY: One of my favorite books is Advice Matters; I wrote that with my mentor. In that book, I say, “take advice from people that have been there and done it.” Been there and done that can mean risk mitigation—what are the dumb things not to do.
Keith Cunningham wrote in his third book, A Road Less Stupid, [“The less stupid stuff you do, the less stupid tax you pay.”] That’s so valuable. When you take advice from someone that has made a life, that’s made a business, has grown a team, has built a downline, has built a company—then you go, “Aha, you’ve done it.”
Then if you go, “And you probably had some bumps along the way. Great. Tell me the thing.”
“ Be clear on what you want and make sure that you’re focusing your time on high-leverage activities, on the things that matter the most.TONY JEARY
So, when people hire me, what I’m constantly saying is I got this giant 35-year tool chest of all this stupid stuff I did, all the good stuff and all the things that I’ve learned working with super cool people.
HEATHER: At the end of the day, we talk about the results. Because at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.
TONY: I hired Zig Ziglar’s president to be my president in 2006. He said, “Tony, what you do is you help people think, and they don’t think enough.” It’s so valuable as an entrepreneur for you to think. So, if you want to get results, be the best, have the best advice, you’ve got to think. And you’ve got to think about what not to do and what to do, right?
HEATHER: So, give some advice for entrepreneurs who are in that spot right now. They’re like, “Okay, I get that. That makes sense. I’ve got to think.” How can they see in their own lives and choices that they’re not doing that? How does that manifest? Are they going too fast? Are they not talking to enough people? How can they recognize that in themselves?
TONY: When my president joined me, he wanted to know why people are flying to you from all over the world to take your advice. He concluded, “Tony, you push people to think, and there are three things you help them do: you help them get more clear, more focused and execute better.” The advice that I would give people is to be clear on what you want. Most people don’t even know what they value. Most people don’t even know what their goals are.
HEATHER: When you say that, are you talking personally, professionally? Are they intertwined?
TONY: What I suggest to people is that you first really get clear as an individual what you care about. Do you care about health? Are you living it? Do you care about making money? Are you living it? Do you care about your kids? Are you living it? So, I propose to people, really get clear on what you want.
How many hours are in a week without calculating? The answer is 168 hours. How a person invests those hours effectively matters. So, again, the long answer to your question, be clear on what you want and make sure that you’re focusing your time on what we call high leverage activities, on the things that matter the most. And then that should lead you on your path.
HEATHER: When you think about leveraging activities and focus, do you ascribe to a certain system or a technique, or do you think people have to find their way by anchoring in on principles? How do you suggest people apply that? Because it sounds good when you say you have 168 hours. Use them with the greatest focus, with just the activities that are helpful.
TONY: Well, let me unpack that for a minute. 168 minus 56 for sleep. That’s eight times seven. And we should take a shower, right? And you got to brush your teeth? So, you take 168 minus 56 for sleep minus 12 for maintenance; you get 100 hours. My formula says how you invest those 100 hours. Usually, it’s 50 percent personal, 50 percent professional.
If you love what you’re doing, then you overlap some. So, how you invest that time is what we call high-leverage activities. And what most people do, is they spend, not invest.
When you talk about time, don’t say, “How am I spending my time?” say, “How am I investing my time?” Most people spend 20 hours or more a week in low-leverage activities because they’ve never taken the time. They’ve never taken the time to get clarity and focus. As an entrepreneur, you’ve got to make sure that you focus your time on the things that matter the most.
HEATHER: Why don’t people do that?
TONY: First off, clarity. If you’ve got a team of people what does a new team member want? When someone joins you, what do they care about? Most people don’t take the time to have that discussion, so you’re focusing and tying that team synergy together. Clarity, focus and execution are how it is done.
HEATHER: You know what’s so great about it—and I think it’s a part of why I’ve obsessively listened to podcasts—we read books because it gives us a moment to remind ourselves of the things that may be intellectual that we already knew. But the day-to-day, the hour-to-hour, we just get caught up, don’t we? We just get caught up in whatever the little things are that take our time, and we lose that focus.
TONY: If you don’t step back, you could almost count yourself as being on a hamster wheel. And the hamster wheel can work because you can be persistent and accomplish a lot. I work with many executives in the direct sales space and one of my executives told me, “I want you to train my executive staff to think more. Because I want them to step off that and quit thinking on their calendar.”
If you don’t have thinking on your calendar at any level, whether you’re all the way on the left side working for someone else or you’re all the way on the right side or in between, thinking matters, you know? DSN
“
It’s so valuable as an entrepreneur for you to think. So, if you want to get results, be the best, have the best advice, you’ve got to think.
IN LATE SPRING 2022 , DSA released its Strategic Plan 2022. The plan is a direct result of months-long collaboration by members of the Strategic Planning Committee with DSA senior staff.
On behalf of the entire DSA team, I would like to especially thank Strategic Planning Committee Chair Chris Stubbs, Senior Vice President, Global Sales & Operations, Nu Skin Enterprises, for leading this effort. I also want to thank Cindy Monroe, Founder, Thirty-One Gifts, Asma Ishaq, CEO, Modere USA, Inc., and Mark Stastny, Chief Marketing Officer, Scentsy, Inc., for their leadership and partnership.
This strategic plan was unanimously approved on June 4, 2022 at the DSA Board of Directors annual meeting in Boca Raton. DSA, together with some of the channel’s leading thinkers, envision a future in which robust commercial, community, environmental and regulatory partnerships contribute to a healthy, vibrant and sustainable future for member companies.
Although the activities of the Association have supported and contributed to the growth of our business model, significant challenges and opportunities remain and are growing for direct sellers in a changing marketplace and regulatory environment.
Still, as a non-profit self-regulatory entity representing the interests of the entire business model and all of our member companies, the Association is well positioned to assist its members. Driving the plan are four key value propositions that DSA delivers to member companies:
• Stimulating vibrant commercial growth by
JOSEPH N. MARIANOis the President of the U.S. Direct Selling Association and the Direct Selling Education Foundation.
positioning the channel to appeal to a younger salesforce and company audience, educating members on what is next for our digital transformation, convening discussions on the evolution of compensation plans and working to attract top talent with a broad range of life perspectives and diverse, cultural experience.
• Ensuring a supportive regulatory environment by advocating before the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Labor and elected officials while fighting to preserve the ability of independent contractors to build their businesses on their own terms.
• Continuing the Association’s efforts to build broader awareness of the direct selling channel’s self-regulatory entity, the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC), while actively developing strategies for the next generation of self-regulation.
• Expanding the direct selling community and its collaboration with a range of technology media influencers by cultivating new relationships and partnerships that will help the channel grow.
DSA members are invited to visit the Membership tab on DSA.org to view the strategic plan in greater depth. On behalf of the entire DSA staff, Executive Committee and Board of Directors, I encourage executives from every DSA member company to engage in making this vision for direct sellers a reality.
Contact me at joseph.mariano@dsa.org—I’d be delighted to share the spark so that you may help shape what the channel is to become. DSN
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Keller, TX 817-697-4321 cpkrell.com
Landing a more sophisticated brand of talent takes a more sophisticated recruiting partner.
Bringing 25 years of Direct Sales executivelevel experience from around the world and with a Team speaking 5 languages we know what it looks like to have success in a diverse and international environment. Our goal is to become an extension of your brand.
1160 N. Town Center Drive, Ste. 100 Las Vegas, NV 89144 702-757-9600 metricsglobal.com
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
900 Wilmeth Road, McKinney Texas 75069 Info@lacoretechnologies.com 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.
2201 Long Prairie Road, Ste. 107-316 Flower Mound, TX 75022 407-891-9265 strategicchoicepartners.com
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 N 1550 E, 3rd Floor Orem, UT 84097 1-877-551-5504 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.
4505 Newpoint Place Lawrenceville, GA 30043 866-888-2999 Sales@amwarelogistics.com amwarelogistics.com
Handle fulfillment for many direct sellers. DSA member with 15 fulfillment centers, nationwide, for 1–2 day ground delivery to 95% of U.S. population. Offer comprehensive B2C fulfillment services, including complex kitting, plus discounted parcel shipping based on our large volume of freight.
2889 Ashton Blvd, Ste. 350 Salt Lake City, UT 84070 877-811-8108 globalaccess.com
International expansion expertise and technology and logistics solutions that grow clients’ businesses and brands around the world.
1701 Clint Moore Road Boca Raton, FL 33487 800-523-2682 mig.cc
Founded in 1979, Multi Image Group (MIG) is a women-owned, family-run creative event production company fueled by innovators, strategists, and technologists who craft custom live, hybrid & virtual experiences for some of the world’s biggest brands.
1615 Clark Blvd. Brampton, Ontario L6T 4W1 905-564-2115 x2 canadacartage.com/direct-selling
CCLS is your gateway to turn-key e-commerce sales and distribution in Canada. With fulfillment centers across Canada, our pick, pack and ship options, and real-time inventory visibility, we will help your business grow. We are NHP Site Compliant, Health Canada licensed, and GMP Compliant.
900 Wilmeth Road, McKinney Texas 75069 214-817-4802 lacorelogistics.com
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.
1835 W Chandler Blvd 103, Chandler, AZ 85224 844-344-7177 hannashea.com
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.
1551 Corporate Drive
Irving, Texas 75038 214-233-6790 deliverzen.com
Deliverzen’s mission is to provide the best service in the order fulfillment industry.
5840 Red Bug Lake Rd, Ste. 140 Winter Springs, FL 32708 407-915-9060 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!
27 S Main St #17 Travelers Rest, SC 29690 864-990-3074 customtravelsolutions.com
Recruit and retain the right people for your organization — We are the world’s largest “white label” travel club builder.
TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SUPPLIER DIRECTORY, EMAIL ADVERTISING@DIRECTSELLINGNEWS.COM33 Franklin McKay Road Attleboro, MA 02703 800-445-1007 eadion.com
Dion’s jewelry solutions are perfect for career path, sales & recruiting, corporate anniversaries and incentive travel recognition awards.
4801 Spicewood Springs Road, Ste. 250, Austin, TX 78759 512.690.2134 momofactor.com
Momentum Factor is a leading digital risk management firm specializing in online compliance monitoring and global online reputation management services for the direct selling industry. Our passion and mission are to protect companies from the brand and regulatory risks associated with online and social media technologies.
1510 N. State St. Orem, Utah 84057 801-701-3285 directscale.com
The most customizable enterprise SaaS platform for managing all aspects of your direct selling, affiliate and influencer marketing business. Edit your comp plan and test it against your live data! From startup to billion dollar company, it automatically scales to meet your needs so you never have to upgrade again.
INTERNATIONAL
1080 Caribbean Way Miami, FL 33132
Royal Caribbean International’s Corporate Sales Team 800-345-7225 (SELECT 2, THEN 1) royalcaribbeanincentives.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.
5800 Democracy Drive, Suite 100 Plano, TX 75024 310-428-9936 now-tech.com
The most comprehensive and powerful business management solution for direct sellers. We put more than 35 years of industry experience into creating strategies and tools to consistently grow your business. Contact us for a demo today.
1600 Viceroy Dr., Suite 125 Dallas, TX 75235 214-367-9933 exigo.com
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.
2692 N. State Route 1-17, Momence, IL 60954 888-452-6853 futureceuticals.com
Fruit, vegetable, and grain-based solutions backed with evidence-based, marketable claims.
9503 Princess Palm Avenue Tampa, FL 33619 813-253-2235 bydesign.com
Award-winning social commerce software for affiliate, influencer, MLM, party plan, and social retail companies. Our turnkey back-office solutions include Wayroo, delivering advanced commerce, comment selling, and payment solutions.
1208 E. Kennedy Blvd., Ste. 222 Tampa, FL 33602 813-277-0625
flightcommerce.com
Global Operations Management Software. Advanced Comp Plan Programming. Sales Force Backoffice & Automation. Web Site Design & Replication.
SOFTWARE/TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONSTO
1875 S. State Street, Ste. 3000 Orem, UT 84097 801-431-4900 infotraxsys.com
Software & SaaS solutions for startup, emerging, and global direct selling companies. See our ad on the back cover.
686 E 110 S Unit 104 American Fork, UT 84003 385-448-1800 xirect.com
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!
915 Broadway Street, Ste. 400 Vancouver, WA 98660 360-256-4400 jenkon.com
From Startup to Enterprise, Jenkon provides Direct Selling companies an award-winning, scalable platform unifying the future of direct selling: Openness, connectivity, omni-channel and conversational marketing.
GROUP, LLC
55 Shuman Blvd., Ste. 350 Naperville, IL 60563 866-698-3848 thatchertech.com
Thatcher Technology Group provides Sales Force, Compensation and Incentive Management Software for the Direct Selling Industry.
800-722-5934
CELEBRITYCORPORATEKIT.COM
“ Direct Selling News has been an incredible partner for us in matching our award winning incentive and meeting opportunities onboard our ships to their talented readers. Direct Selling companies have been finding us for individual incentive awards, group travel and full ship charters due to the great exposure we get from DSN.
