Through previous donations, PM-International has supported regional development projects in Peru, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Bolivia, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Nicaragua. PM-International is now the largest corporate sponsor of World Vision and currently sponsors 6,000 children around the world, with the goal of increasing that number to 10,000 children. 

“Giving a future to 6,000 sponsored children is super exciting!” said Vicki Sorg, PM-International Charity Ambassador. “This donation stands for commitment, leadership and our values. We are grateful to contribute to World Vision’s work, as they create change with children and communities worldwide, even in the most remote rural areas.”

The post PM-International Donates $3.4 Million to World Vision  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Building a smart international expansion strategy means looking for momentum-building markets with untapped growth potential. In 2024, that indisputably includes the Hispanic and Latino markets.

In Mexico alone, the direct selling market is projected to surge to $19.48 billion by 2028. That staggering number doesn’t include the more than 60 million Latinos living and working within the US, or the fact that direct selling is already a staple for the Latin American population, where a quarter of beauty and personal care sales take place through a direct selling relationship (compared to eight percent globally).

“Latinos in the United States represent a larger consumption market than the entire economy of nations like Italy, Canada or Russia,” shared Judith Sanchez Lopez, PM-International General Manager, Latin America. “If Latinos living in the United States were an independent country, the US Latino GDP would be the fifth largest GDP in the world, larger than the GDPs of India, the United Kingdom or France.”

There are a number of direct selling companies who have already captivated the Hispanic and Latino markets and are thriving. There are two distinct scenarios at play here: US-based companies that are dominating in Hispanic markets and foreign-based companies doing the same.

DSN 2023 Bravo Growth Award winner Princess House successfully serves this corner of the US market. Other examples include 4Life, Hy Cite, Immunotec and relative newcomer ACTIVZ. These companies are also strong in other Spanish-speaking markets.

Betterware de Mexico and Omnilife are based in Mexico and making huge strides in that market and throughout the region.

It could be tempting to assume that the same strategies and approaches that work for US customers would be a fit for the Hispanic population living within the US, or even the neighboring Latin American populations, but that assumption is a sure-fire way to fail. Ignoring the unique communication styles of each individual market is not only ineffective, it’s disrespectful. There are cultural sensitivities that should be honored; product preferences that need to be prioritized; and local talent that deserve to be elevated to leadership.

“Companies that want to be successful need to stop making Latin American countries an extension of their current market,” said Mauricio Domenzain, Immunotec Chief Executive Officer. “By that, I mean you really need to commit to the market. We can’t simply send one manager to Latin America now and then wait to see if it’s going to work or not. It’s a full commitment, not just the addition of another flag on your wall or your website. You have to truly become part of that market to understand the cultural needs.”

Copy and Paste Isn’t a Strategy

What works in the United States doesn’t automatically translate to success on a global scale. That goes for products, but it’s also a good rule to live by when it comes to communication, marketing materials and events. For companies founded in the US or who predominantly operate within the US, expanding to include Spanish-speaking consumers is not as simple as hiring a translator or relying on Google Translate. These translations are often choppy, with no regard for local idioms or speaking rhythms.

Solving for this pain point has been a game changer for brands like 4Life, who overhauled their communication process to treat Spanish as its own first language rather than relying entirely on English. The company now enlists two separate content creator teams, one who is primarily English-speaking and one who is primarily Spanish-speaking, to design materials. The end result prevents poor translations that damage credibility.

“If you go to our convention, we are 80-85 percent Hispanic,” said Brian Gill, 4Life Chief Marketing Officer. “Five years ago, out of respect, we stopped translating English to Spanish. It’s not enough to have great translators. A Hispanic whose primary language is Spanish should be the one creating our materials. It’s about empowering the affiliate to share the brand, and a poor translation is not a credible connection they are proud to share.”

Homogenous, hand-me-down resources communicate the message that international markets are inferior, less valuable and unappreciated. Conversely, when companies allocate the resources and staff necessary to maintain and develop a culturally relevant, localized brand with tools that take local language, lifestyle and history into consideration, customers and distributors take note. A successful entry into Hispanic and Latino markets is one that allows the population to embrace entrepreneurial opportunity while preserving its own cultural DNA.

“Entering the Hispanic market was not secondary or an afterthought; it was our primary thought,” said David Brown, ACTIVZ Chief Executive Officer. “Our Spanish-speaking distributors are constantly amazed that they get new products and materials first and that they weren’t translated from English. Everyone responds well to attention and responsiveness, and that’s probably the secret to our success.”

Honor Culture Past and Present

Family is a core value for the Hispanic and Latin American markets, and consumers in these demographics typically have great reverence for their parents and their tightly-knit communities. The US ethos of independent, self-made success doesn’t land the same within these cultures, so even well-intentioned corporate leaders commissioned from the company’s US headquarters could get off on the wrong foot without realizing it.

“It’s not only the language, but it’s also the culture that you need to understand,” explained Domenzain. “You need to have people on the ground—people directly from those markets—who understand and can serve that market the correct way.”

Leaders also need to consider how each new generation brings their own energy and inspiration to the foundational values of the Hispanic and Latin American cultures. From a corporate standpoint, that means being willing to adjust the speed and style of work. Omnilife addressed this generational evolution by implementing a shift from graphic design to a focus on social media, leaving behind big format printing in favor of video and digital formats and encouraging all of its departments to embrace the Gen Z style of work, which is quick to adapt to change.

“We are integrating younger generations into our corporate team, and that has helped make us relevant,” said Eduardo Ros, Omnilife Marketing Manager. “Our communications and packaging have become younger. We have received testimonies from people in Ecuador and Peru who tell us that working with second- and third-generation distributors who are younger has helped them see how best to take advantage of this opportunity and approach the business differently.”

Recognize the Uniqueness of Each Market

Each country and community has its own unique traditions and habits, and the Latin American market is no exception. There is no one-size-fits-all approach that would respectfully reach this vast audience, and it’s important to remember that there are distinctions among the adjectives often used to describe this diverse group of cultures within and outside of the US. The word Hispanic describes Spanish speakers, including those living within the US and Spain, while Latinos is reserved for those living within Latin America, including Brazil, where Portuguese is the official national language.

“Hispanics in the US are not a monolith,” Sanchez Lopez said. “They are a combination of countries, cultures, slang, levels of acculturation and generations. You need to decide who you want to target, understand what sets them apart and then ask yourself if your company is communicating and interacting in a way that respects their cultural differences and strongest drivers.”

For companies with a broad footprint across countries with similar but distinct cultures, discovering what makes each market tick is critical to securing healthy, welcomed growth among distributors and potential customers. Hy Cite, for example, courts Latinos in eight different countries, including the US and Brazil. Efficiency is incredibly important, so the company harmonizes its content, but it also takes care to modify even the smallest details to communicate that each individual market matters.

“The way we present our products changes depending on the audience,” said Paulo Moledo, Hy Cite President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our recipes used on social media, for instance, feature arepas in Colombia and tacos in Mexico. We also pay attention to our call center services. We learned the hard way that the agent accent speaking to customers from different markets is an important variable.”

Moledo also emphasizes the significance of making sure corporate expresses with actions that they value distributors’ wellbeing just as much as their earning opportunity. For Hy Cite, that means facilitating a close relationship between executives and top leaders; leaning into recognition; and designing ways for distributors and customers to voice their opinions and experiences.

“Latinos, more than most, need to feel heard,” Moledo said. “As fast as we could after the pandemic, we started having events, conventions and meetings with independent distributors, and the attendance has been outstanding. We invest more today in events than we did pre-pandemic, but the return on that personal, face-to-face touch is great.”

Operating with inclusion and respect as the highest priorities is non-negotiable. It’s imperative that companies take the extra steps to ensure the opportunity they are presenting is tailor-made for the audience receiving it, and that their presence improves the quality of life for the people who call that country home. When diversity of backgrounds and ways of doing business are treated with dignity and honor, executives who have successfully built bridges into the Latino and Hispanic cultures say there is a shared entrepreneurial spirit that transcends language barriers and countries of origin.

“It doesn’t matter what language you speak or what country you’re in, everyone is looking for the same thing,” Domenzain said. “To be a part of something bigger than yourself.”

From the November 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Hispanic Market is booming first appeared on Direct Selling News.

“We at PM-International and FitLine have looked at the constructive criticism and feedback from our distributors to develop future-oriented solutions,” said PM-International General Manager Marketing Wojcech Foremnik and Chief Technological Officer Márton Fülöp together from the stage. “People will always meet, but again, the future is in the middle. For this reason, we are actively advancing in our development to shape the future of our industry ourselves.”  

The event also highlighted the company’s philanthropic initiatives, including its commitment to child sponsorships through World Vision, and pledged to support an addition 800 children through the program. 

“The success of PM-International is only possible due to all of you,” Sorg said. “It is your consistency, focus and hard work. It’s not magic, but your discipline and ambition made it happen. Thank you so much.” 

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THIS YEAR’S BRAVO LEADERSHIP AWARD was given to Rolf Sorg, Founder and CEO of PM-International in honor of the visionary leadership and strategic direction he has always displayed throughout the 30-year history of the company.

When asked to explain his thoughts on leadership, Rolf shared that he believes there are no born leaders. Becoming a leader requires overcoming obstacles; learning how to build relationships and teams; and developing behaviors that inspire others to grow.

“Whenever you face a challenge, it’s like resistance,” Rolf explained. “You have to work against resistance and learn from your mistakes. No pain; no gain.”

Rolf has had plenty of opportunities to grow through challenges. As a young man, he was in an apprenticeship to become a car mechanic, repairing cars in his spare time to earn extra money with the motto of “Twice as good at half the price.” Before long, he had a long list of loyal customers and a healthy income, but a severe injury during a repair that crushed his jaw sent him in a new direction.

Working as a car mechanic wasn’t his future, he decided, and he chose to devote himself to his studies in order to take over the family business from his father one day instead. But life was a far cry from his previously elevated standard of living. While his in-demand car repair side hustle had provided spending cash before university, he lived in cramped quarters in student housing and had little extra money as soon as he started his studies. This downsized lifestyle made him especially eager to find new income opportunities.

So, when he had a chance encounter with a tradesman who was driving his dream car, Rolf couldn’t help but ask him how he could afford such a luxury item on a meager paycheck. His answer: direct sales.

“I was a shy guy, but I had a burning desire to change something in my life. There’s nothing you’re willing to work harder for than a lifestyle you’ve already experienced.”

Plan A with No Plan B

Rolf describes the decision to become a distributor as an easy one. While he was excited for the opportunity, it didn’t change the fact that he struggled with self-confidence in the fledgling years of his career.

“No one likes to hear ‘no.’ Psychologically it takes a piece of your self-confidence. In the end, it’s about how big your vision, goals and desire are and your willingness to overcome the obstacles. Those can make you do something, even if you know in the first moments it will be painful.”

Through perseverance, Rolf became the top earner in his company, personally driving roughly half of the company’s revenue. This success built his confidence and the experience gave him new skill sets as a leader and entrepreneur. After a company he was working for went bankrupt, Rolf purchased their remaining stock and launched his own venture which ultimately became PM-International.

The decisions that followed would not be quite as simple. Launching PM-International required a sizable investment. And while he had socked away about $500,000, launching correctly would require his entire life savings, plus another $500,000 loan.

“I was willing to take the risk,” Rolf remembered. “If it didn’t work out, that would be it. I would be done. I started with Plan A with zero space for Plan B.”

Helping Others Learn from Your Mistakes

PM-International was taking shape, and the numbers looked incredibly profitable on paper. But in reality, the company had almost no liquidity. And Rolf was having to negotiate with banks to help stay afloat. It was a challenge he spent months trying to hash out in solitude, until he finally called his father, who determined the problem within four hours.

Rolf had a receivables issue. Bills that weren’t being paid were still showing up in the books, which meant that even though Rolf was not receiving money, he was paying taxes as though he had. “I learned a lesson and changed everything. Twelve months later we were debt free and that has never changed.”

PM-International quickly implemented a strict no-debt policy, and Rolf’s father was brought on as a mentor. Rolf also reorganized the structure of his workdays. Instead of focusing all his attention on what he calls the fun factor—sales and marketing tasks he loves to do, he splits his days in half, devoting 50 percent of his attention to the tedium of financial controlling, purchasing and logistics.

While these changes may have been prompted by errors in the past, Rolf views this learning process as an integral part of being an authentic and powerful leader. Perfection is never the goal, in his opinion, but rather a constant pursuit of doing his best.

“Sharing my own mistakes makes it easier for people to understand and draws them closer,” Rolf shared. “If I presented myself as a hero, that’s not reality, and it’s not true. Others would get nothing out of that.”

Taking the Bull by the Horns

Rolf’s big risk has paid off. PM-International is now ranked #8 on the DSN Global 100 list with $2.55 billion in 2022 revenue and a presence in 45 countries. Operating as subsidiaries in these markets, PM-International takes the steps to register their products with each country, making sure they operate legally and have a physical warehouse footprint. “That takes principles, values and ethics. We believe if you are trading products there, you should be present,” Rolf explained.

There would be less risk involved with keeping some distance from these new markets, but Rolf is, of course, not one to shy away from risk. Running towards challenges when necessary has become a theme of his leadership style. It’s an approach that was potentially best exemplified during a legal battle he took on against the digital goliath Google—and won.

“Success happens outside of our comfort zones, and I’m just a guy who takes the bull by the horns, never out of fear,” Rolf said. “My lawyers told me it was like the mouse and the elephant, but no one else was doing it. If I believed that what they were doing was not OK, and was not only hurting me but others all over the world, then I had to stand up for our rights. At the end of the day—if I’m serving, that’s why I’m earning.”

DSN congratulates Rolf on 30 years of visionary leadership and continuous growth.

From the June 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

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And—most importantly—companies across the industry continued to embrace and incorporate new methods of doing business to attract new people to the channel and to inspire current participants to expand their vision. There is much to celebrate.

And celebrate we did at the 14th DSN Global Celebration, a live hybrid event held on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 in Frisco, Texas. It was an exciting night hosted by DSN Chief Brand Officer Shelley Rojas and DSN Strategic Advisor Heather Chastain. Hundreds of people representing 53 companies from around the world attended in person. And thousands more watched the event via free livestream. Awards and honors were revealed in several categories, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, the Bravo Awards and the DSN Global 100 List.

Lifetime Achievement Award

For only the third time, DSN bestowed its Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious award was given to a true legend in direct selling, Rudy Revak.

Rudy is the craftsman behind multiple highly successful direct selling companies including Symmetry and Xyngular, which he founded in 1995 and 2009 respectively and was instrumental in the acquisition and rebranding of PUREhaven in 2016. He’s also the Chairman and Founder of Global Ventures Partners, an investment capital firm committed to creating opportunities for common people to achieve uncommon results.

Born in Germany and the son of a World War II refugee, he escaped to America when he was just five years old. He’s a living breathing example of the American Dream in its purest, most inspirational form.

When asked to reflect on his years in the industry and what it has meant to him, Rudy spoke eloquently of the impact direct selling has had on his life. “I’ve loved this industry for all these years. I’m still in it because I love it—not just for what it has done for me, but for what it continues to do for so many people. It provides the opportunity for people to reach their dreams. I would do it all over again, 100 percent.”

The two previous recipients, John Fleming and Stan Frederick, were on hand to warmly welcome Rudy into this illustrious club. To read more about Rudy’s enduring legacy, please see page 60.

The Bravo Awards

Each year the Bravo Awards panel recognizes companies for outstanding achievement and excellence in areas of leadership and the highest percentage of revenue growth. Specialty awards are also given to individuals and companies for their achievements in and service to the direct selling channel.

The Bravo Leadership Award is given to an individual, recognizing outstanding achievement and exceptional leadership of a direct selling executive. This year’s recipient was Rolf Sorg, Founder and CEO of PM-International in honor of his visionary leadership and strategic direction he has displayed throughout the 30-year history of the company. PM-International is now ranked #8 on the DSN Global 100 list with $2.55 billion in 2022 revenue and a presence in 45 countries.

The Bravo Global Good Award recognizes companies that take a proactive approach to environmental, philanthropic and social responsibility issues. This year the honor went to Arbonne. Arbonne is known for its passionate commitment to empowerment, transparency and sustainability. In 2022, Arbonne earned recertification for its B Corporation status. Among Arbonne’s recertification achievements are a reduction in water consumption globally by 60 percent; a 55 percent reduction in Scope I and II emissions since 2019; and a 42 percent decrease in electricity consumption since 2019.

DSN honored three companies with the Bravo Impact Award this year. The award recognizes the achievements of well-rounded companies that take a holistic, measured and incremental approach to growth, innovation and operational integrity and excellence. These companies positively impact their customers, distributors, staff, communities and the channel as a whole. They are helping to lead the way forward in shifting the public perception of direct selling.

The first award went to LegalShield. LegalShield has devoted the past 50 years to providing affordable assistance with everyday legal matters from wills and real estate to family law and consumer issues, as well as privacy management. LegalShield has served 4.5 million people and more than 140,000 businesses and taken over 50 million requests for legal services since its inception and has paid out over $1 billion in commissions over the past ten years.

The second Impact award honoree was Princess House. Celebrating their 60th anniversary this year, Princess House is marking this milestone with an unprecedented period of growth. They credit this success to creating a true partnership with the field. Their field, comprised mostly of Latina women, have embraced a new digital approach that has greatly expanded their reach. A streamlined product offering and a philosophy of training up has increased their overall order size by 40 percent.

The final recipient of the Impact Award was LimeLife by Alcone. Plunging ahead into the unexpected and refusing to fit in is part of this company’s DNA. Having started in 1952 selling stage makeup to Broadway performers, Alcone eventually grew into a nationwide leader in professional makeup for the television, film and theatrical industries. The company’s commitment to quality, DEI-focused strategies and passion for female entrepreneurship is nothing short of inspirational!

Two Bravo Growth Awards were bestowed on domestic direct selling companies. This prestigious award celebrates the direct selling company with the highest year-over-year revenue growth on the Global 100 List. One is given to a product-based company, and another is given to a service-based company.

This year’s product-based Bravo Growth Award was given to Princess House. This market leader in kitchenware and home goods grew 114 percent between 2019 and 2022.

The service-based award was given to eXp Realty for the third year in a row. The company has well over 85,000 independent agents worldwide and continues to grow at an exponential rate. In fact, this publicly traded company grew from $3.8 billion in 2021 to $4.6 billion in 2022. An $800 million-dollar increase representing 21 percent in year-over-year growth.

Two Bravo International Growth Awards were also announced. These were also given to one product-based company and one service-based company.

The product-based winner was no stranger to the Global Celebration stage. Based in Luxembourg, PM-International has enjoyed 29 years of continuous growth. They are on quite a run, growing from $1.7 billion in 2020 to $2.38 billion in 2021 and achieving $2.55 billion in 2022.

Utility Warehouse won in the service-based category. This UK-based company ranked #10 on the Global 100 this year.

DSN added two new awards to the Bravo line up this year. The first, the Bravo Innovator Award, recognizes direct selling companies that embrace and deploy the emerging technologies and future-focused strategies that propel the company forward and serve as an inspiration of what’s possible. The inaugural Bravo Innovator Award was given to FASTer Way To Fat Loss.

The final award of the evening was the Bravo Excellence Award, another new award this year. This recognition is reserved for executives with a long history of leadership, excellence and integrity. These individuals are champions of the channel and positive mentors to all who serve it. The award was given to John Parker, Chief Sales Officer and Regional President West of Amway.

For more in-depth information of our Bravo Award winners, please see our expanded coverage starting on page 66.

The Global 100 List

One of the most eagerly anticipated announcements each year at the Global Celebration is the unveiling of the Global 100 list. This list determines the top direct selling companies in the world for 2022. Inclusion on the Global 100 has become a point of much-deserved pride.

The List offers a unique perspective on the global impact of the industry by recognizing companies’ revenue achievements. Recognition for each of these companies is the culmination of months of research and the cooperation of many individuals around the world.

This year’s DSN Global 100 list acknowledges 53 companies achieving more than $100 million in revenue for 2022. Full coverage of the list as well as analysis on important and emerging trends can be found starting on page 114.

Oh, What a Night!

The DSN Global Celebration is the industry awards event of the year—a night designed to celebrate, inspire and motivate! If you missed the broadcast, you can catch it on replay at DSNG100.com for a limited time. Gathering together in person creates an incredibly positive sense of community and energy within the room—the magic of those moments is definitely must-see viewing for supporters of the channel.

From the 53 thriving companies on the Global 100 List to the 11 Bravo Award winners and our Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Rudy Revak, DSN recognized the best of the best of the channel we all love and believe in.

Congratulations to the winners and thank you to the hundreds in the room and thousands of viewers worldwide. And a sincere thank you to all our Supporter Companies and Supplier Sponsors for helping DSN provide this night of celebration, recognition and camaraderie. 

From the June 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

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Business as usual was forever changed in 2020. The pandemic, with its supply chain nightmares, quiet quitting epidemic and what felt like endless uncertainties, shifted many workplace paradigms seemingly overnight. In the three years since, it has been common for even the most well-known brands to flounder amid the challenging economic environment.

But these circumstances have also revealed rising stars and leaders within the direct selling industry. These top brands proved through their pioneering and strategic responses how to build and maintain momentum in the midst of circumstances that no executive had ever faced before, and their examples will now play an influential role in the decisions that shape the industry moving forward.

DSN looked at the approaches, behaviors and trajectories of 17 companies (including four publicly traded ones) within the channel who experienced three consecutive years of revenue increases—from 2020 to 2022—through the pandemic and beyond, to discover what the industry can learn from these trailblazers.

Pandemic Puppies and Other Unique Growth Opportunities

The pandemic was a boon for some industries, like suppliers of hand sanitizers and disinfectants but a dramatic bust for others, like hospitality providers. For direct selling companies who built momentum during this time, discovering the unique needs created by living life in a pandemic, and then wielding the pre-existing advantages of the direct selling model, was a major force for maintaining stability and capitalizing on untapped revenue potential.

“For many businesses, the effects of COVID were headwinds that shut them out of business,” said Roger Morgan, pawTree Chief Executive Officer. “For pawTree, the effects of COVID were tailwinds. There were definitely a lot of people who got new puppies, but people were also home more, spending time with their pets and being more attentive to the issues that our products could address. On top of that, we had already moved away from in-person events as our predominant way of sharing and selling, so our field had the tools and habits they needed in place. And one of our greatest tailwinds was that we are an online-sales-only company. That was a well-established trend before COVID, so when people shied away from retail and buying off of physical shelves, we weren’t negatively impacted by that weakened distribution channel.”

Building Trust through Transparency

Uncertainty was the predominant theme in the early months of the pandemic. Where to source materials to maintain inventory; how to navigate international COVID regulations; and when it would be wise to come back to the office were all questions without clear answers in the beginning. Distributors and customers alike needed to be presented with a clear vision for what life could be like on the other side of these extraordinary obstacles, while also receiving assurance that their company had their best interests at heart.

For Amare Global, leaning into compassion and kindness was the first step to creating a safe environment for its team members and has also played a key role in integrating Kyäni, which it acquired in September 2022, into its legacy of bringing mental wellness to the world.

“Our company name and primary core value is love,” said Jared Turner, Amare Global Chief Executive Officer. “At Amare, we want our corporate employees and field organizations to feel loved, inspired and valued. We are focused on operationalizing love throughout our organization to create a community and culture of belonging and support.”

Without a lengthy shared history to fall back on, reassuring the field and customers was even more challenging for young companies, but BELLAME saw it as an opportunity and a way to build transparency and trust from the ground up.

“When COVID hit, we were only 19 months old, so we were still new to our industry, our vendors and our field,” said Melissa Thompson, BELLAME Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “The biggest corporations were closing their doors all around us, so we had a lot to prove. The challenge of uncertainty, however, became an optimal opportunity to build trust within all facets of our business. Transparency became the antidote to it all. From transportation delays to global supply chain issues, we were completely open at every turn. Doing so allowed us to build trust, which has brought amazing opportunities our way.”

Transparency and a continual feedback cycle have been essential components of inGroup’s phenomenal growth. As Chief Operating Officer Anthony Varvaro explained, “Our year-over-year growth is due to a subscription model that has a high perceived and real value to our Members. Our existing Members continue their memberships and new Members continually join. We continually refine the membership and partnership opportunities and incorporate feedback that we take in from our Members and Partners to give more value and more earning opportunities, resulting both top-line and bottom-line growth.”

Building trust with customers has helped Utility Warehouse experience exponential revenue increases, the company ranked #10 on the DSN Global 100 list this year.

“Our partners are growing more and more confident in what we are offering and they are recommending UW to their friends and families in increasing numbers,” said Stuart Burnett, Utility Warehouse Co-CEO. “By doing so, they are earning meaningful additional incomes that are helping them meet the growing pressures on their personal finances.”

Learning to Love Remote Work Culture

Remote work seemed like a fantasy for employees and a nightmare for employers pre-2020. Today, office culture has shifted. Forced closures and social distancing measures gave executives a crash course in remote management, but those who rose to the top learned to not only accept, but also embrace and expand upon this new reality.

“Although our corporate team works remotely from across the globe, I feel more connected with them than I did when I had teams report to an office daily,” Thompson said. “It is amazing how efficient and productive our workflow has become.”

Surprisingly, distance has drawn the leaders of these growing companies closer. Morgan says the efficacy and happiness of his pawTree team can’t be attributed to one specific action, but rather a wide range of efforts to make sure they are appreciated and well-equipped. They’ve been innovative and thoughtful in their approach including inviting the management team to participate in incentive trips; giving raises to make sure team members are appropriately compensated; and ensuring a good awareness of the division of responsibilities across departments.

Digital-First Is Key

It can be easy to forget what it was like in 2020, before a pandemic-induced virtual world took over the sales and marketing approach for most companies. The brands who stood out among their peers were those that were already leaning heavily into creating a digital experience for their customers and distributors.

“Our brand was born through an audience of online followers long before anyone knew we were creating a single product,” Thompson said. “When the pandemic locked us all into a purely digital world in 2020, it was a space that we were quite comfortable inside. Having custom built our own digital platform, commission engine and back office, we were able to put our energy and resources into creating sophisticated marketing tools that made sharing our brand easy.”

Consumers and distributors have accepted the use of digital tools and an online-only business model at a rapidly accelerated pace since 2020. The companies that saw revenue momentum used this opportunity to not only double down on their existing digital infrastructure, but also scale new innovations, like PM-International, who implemented PM DirectCash, which pays online sales income immediately to distributors; and FASTer Way to Fat Loss and eXp Realty, both of whom tapped into powerful lead generators.

“eXp Realty is building on the momentum of the past several years by ensuring we always remain on the cutting-edge of technology so we can continue to deliver on our agent value proposition,” said Michael Valdes, eXp Realty Chief Growth Officer. “We have a robust set of resources that help drive agent success at each step of the real estate journey while simplifying their business with our future-focused technology. Today, eXp continues to be an attractive model for leading teams and independent brokerages because we solve for their pain points. And we offer better compensation options, including our competitive split, cap and equity opportunities.”

The Rise of the Enhanced Affiliate Model

Looking to the future, many of these leading companies are deciding how they can prepare now for the next big wave of change that waits on the horizon. For pawTree, that means taking a fresh look at its own mode of operation and considering ways it can outsmart competitors from outside of the industry that are eager to encroach on its market share.

“Complacency is the kiss of death,” Morgan said. “You’re always tweaking and turning dials, continuing to stay in a state of hunger for learning and understanding the consumer and the seller. All of that has pointed us to an affiliate sales program, which we’ll be launching in the next year.”

Switching to an affiliate-based model has become a pattern that many industry powerhouses have already begun to adopt. For them, it’s a way to give field leaders the marketing campaigns and tools that provide the financial benefits of a network marketing opportunity without sacrificing the community of support that the channel is known for.

“This affiliate model movement sparked with the onset of the pandemic. However, it has continued to evolve and gain momentum over the past three years,” Thompson said. “Pioneering a new business model is an ever-evolving movement—one that we believe will not only maintain our momentum in the years to come, but that of our entire industry.”

And at FASTer Way to Fat Loss, Founder and CEO Amanda Tress credits the affiliate model with her company’s continued success. And that success is impressive. Q1 2023 was the company’s best since launching in January of 2016, and March was their biggest month ever—they paid 46 percent more in commissions to affiliates in March than they did in the previous month of February.

FASTer Way offers two tracks in their affiliate program: Certified Coaches and Ambassadors. The Ambassadors are primarily bloggers and social media influencers who simply refer the program to their followers and receive a one-time commission for their efforts. Certified Coaches go through an in-depth FASTer Way certification course that equips them to run their own FASTer Way businesses, accompanying their clients throughout their journey. They therefore have multiple opportunities to earn on each client.

Whatever path an affiliate chooses, Tress recognizes the importance of nurturing the relationship. “Right after launch I was so focused on the products and the client experience, I realized I had been neglecting our Ambassadors and Certified Coaches. The strength of that relationship is key. We are always looking into ideas for incentives and trips and retreats because they are such an important component of our mutual continued success.”

Preparing for the Next Big Thing

The last three years have been a lesson in flexibility. The companies that have continued to succeed have proven how to stay true to the industry’s DNA, while being willing to explore new and innovative ways to serve their customers and distributors. No matter the compensation plan or sales model, this blending of the old with the new has served as a way for brands to stay nimble and relevant as well as served as guardrails for those at the helm who have masterfully led their companies to growth during a season of aggressive change.

“Digitization will bring many simplifications and savings in handling day-to-day business and will make it possible to reach masses of people and work without limits,” said Wolfgang Klaer, PM-International General Manager International Sales and Support. “But virtual customer assistance can never and will never take the place of a direct customer contact. Direct sales is a person-to-person business. This will always remain the case, and it should.”

The Secret Sauce

Eleven industry thought leaders share their go-to revenue growth strategies.

“We’ve placed a substantial focus on driving stability in customer retention rates, and with customer satisfaction metrics at all-time highs, we’ve seen retention return to and hold at normal levels. We continue to take steps to mitigate cost pressures, drive efficiency and build financial resilience into our model. We’re already seeing some of the impact of that work begin to play out, and while it will take some time to work through our business cadence, we remain highly confident in both the long-term efficacy of our model and our prospects for stable and sustainable growth.” —Dan Chard, Medifast Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

“I think this comes down to investment and innovation—in product development and how we connect with people; the quality and surety in our supply chain; and great analytics to support decision making. A key part of our success is our commitment to and involvement with up-to-date health and nutrition research. This provides a solid foundation for our new product development and ensures that we are producing the highest quality health and nutritional products available in the world today.
—Graeme Clegg / New Image Chairman & Founder

“It was precisely in the pandemic that the strength of PM-International was revealed. While other companies suffered major setbacks or even had to close their doors, PM-International quickly adapted and played to its own strengths: the ability to make quick decisions as a family-owned company; enough financial cushion to easily buy up necessary raw materials; and an innovative nature which helped us adapt our communication tools at lightning speed.” —Wolfgang Klaer, PM-International General Manager International Sales and Support

“One of the questions we ask ourselves is ‘If you were going to launch a company to compete with your own brand, knowing what you know, what would you do?’ If you’re not willing to act on that answer and make exciting changes that might rock the boat, someone else will.” —Roger Morgan, pawTree Chief Executive Officer

“Our growth didn’t come without challenges. We were able to prosper virtually when we were talking about our products and services, but we struggled to build relationships virtually. For us, returning to live events has brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the field and has been key to our continued growth.” —Don Thompson, Legal Shield President, Network Division

“Our innovative products and incredible earnings opportunity are beyond valuable, however, the key to our continued growth is rooted in the behavior of servant leadership. Even in our highly digital world, we are focused on serving our Brand Partners and building relationships. I personally host a Skype Chat, 7 days a week, with my top 65 leaders and sellers. Unscripted, regular live zooms for constant communication, transparency and collaboration. Without a doubt this is what fuels our growth.” —Melissa Thompson, BELLAME Beauty Inc. Chief Executive Officer and Founder

“The key drivers for our momentum since 2020 have been to prioritize and focus on as many interpersonal touchpoints as possible. We encouraged small gatherings and culture building events just to get people together. We rolled out our first in-person ACTIVZ Academies and ACTIVZ schools throughout our largest market, Mexico, which had a remarkable spill-over affect into our secondary markets. Focusing on building strong relationships throughout the field and especially with mid-level leaders on up, we’ve greatly benefitted from the unity that’s been created which is now taking our company into momentum.” —Ryan Thompson, Activz President and Co-Founder

“Amare is a true pioneer of the mental wellness movement, and we have an excellent team that is committed to providing clinically researched products that encourage a baseline of both physical and mental wellness and resilience. We are seeing the marketplace respond by rewarding the company with triple-digit growth. We operate in 50 countries worldwide, and believe people everywhere are seeking the solutions we offer. We have a goal of reaching one million homes within the next five years and are well on our way to achieving this milestone.” —Jared Turner, Amare Global Chief Executive Officer

“Our secret sauce is really our agent-centric model, which was designed to withstand varying market conditions. This uniquely positions us to continue investing in our future and iterating on our industry-leading agent value proposition. From the beginning, we have always believed that when you put the agent first, the rest will follow. And in our case, it truly has. It is why we continue to thrive when many of our competitors are not.” — Michael Valdes, eXp Realty Chief Growth Officer

“I would have to say our business model is our secret sauce. The model is continually adjusting itself to market conditions and provides the perfect balance of recurring and new revenue to guide it through all market conditions. It’s the business model that ensured inGroup made it through the COVID years with constant sales and has allowed it to leverage the recovery at a phenomenal rate. —Anthony Varvaro / InGroup Chief Operating Officer

“Our success in 2022 reflected the value of guidance that our sales force brings to middle-income families and the important role they play in encouraging clients to take action. For three consecutive years, Primerica has issued more than $100 billion in term life insurance face amount. And while inflation and market volatility created headwinds, our representatives successfully helped their clients invest $10 Billion in 2022 toward their future financial goals.” — Glenn Williams, Primerica Chief Executive Officer

Content updated from the July/August 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Industry Superstars: 3 Consecutive Years of Growth first appeared on Direct Selling News.

People are talking. In C-suites and in team Zoom calls throughout the industry, there is a common refrain—the channel is changing, sometimes in uncomfortable and unfamiliar ways. From how and how often distributors are paid, to eCommerce selling strategies, affiliate programs, the rise of social selling and influencers, generational shifts in the field and the home office and so much more, direct selling continues to redefine itself and its future.

In December’s Year in Review, we outlined several of the ongoing challenges facing the channel. Now, as we go forward into the new year, we are resolving to help provide channel leadership with the solutions, perspectives and fresh takes required to always stay one step ahead.

The concerns being raised are nothing new. Across the channel, for many sales are flat or down. Distributors are demotivated. Training and compensation models are confusing and lag behind other “gig” opportunities. Ongoing economic and supply chain challenges hamper customer retention and satisfaction.

To many, we are a channel in search of relevancy in a world where other side hustles are plentiful, popular and uncomplicated.

Direct selling has always prided itself on being an opportunity for everyone. A vehicle that allows people from all walks of life to regain a sense of personal and financial freedom. That message hasn’t changed—but the methodology continues to.

As we head into 2023, we wanted to check in with the companies in the channel that are navigating these challenges with steadiness, innovation, commitment and passion. On the following pages, you’ll hear from four executives as they explain in their own words the “secret sauce” to their companies’ successes in this rapidly shifting environment.

AdvoCare’s CEO Patrick Wright shares his company’s story of reinvention and redemption coming out of its struggle with the Federal Trade Commission and the revamping of its compensation structure.

Gordon Hester from PM-International explains how the company’s history of consistent growth propelled them to new levels of success while other companies have struggled to grow or even maintain sales.

Amanda Tress, Founder and CEO of FASTer Way to Fat Loss, explains how their groundbreaking single-level affiliate plan and compensation structure have attracted a new breed of entrepreneur to direct selling.

And Qyral’s Founder and CEO Hanieh Sigari shares how approaching direct selling with a disruptive mindset and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom has put this young company on a course for success.

We think you’ll find each of their stories relatable and relevant, whether you are a well-established company looking to modernize or a startup looking for stability.

Without a doubt, these are turbulent times. But DSN believes that out of that turmoil can come triumph as the channel creates a new, prosperous and modern reality based on sustainability, simplicity and customer-centric ideologies.

Below, you’ll hear from four executives as they explain in their own words the “secret sauce” to their companies’ successes in this rapidly shifting environment.

Courage over Caution

AdvoCare took monumental steps to maintain its core culture and commitment to quality.

By PATRICK WRIGHT

We’ll celebrate our 30th anniversary in February. That alone is not something many direct sellers or others can say. We’ve had so many amazing years and are planning for decades into the future. We had a chance to choose courage over fear—and we jumped at it.

I joined the company in 2008, during what was truly a golden age for AdvoCare. Our brand presence was everywhere: the NFL, NASCAR, Major League Soccer, TV advertising, College Football. We were quickly becoming a household name.

And then, in 2019, we announced—what appeared suddenly to the public—that we had entered into a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and we would be abandoning the multi-level aspect of our business.

To those outside a small group of the AdvoCare team, it seemed like the settlement occurred out of the blue, but that couldn’t be further from reality. We battled for over three years—privately, because we had to. We dedicated tens of millions of dollars in legal fees, millions on consultants and experts and comp plan analysis—doing whatever we could to satisfy the FTC’s demands. So, when we announced we were abandoning our multi-level model, people wondered why we didn’t fight.

But we did fight. We fought vehemently for many years. We chose to make the strategic decision to completely remove multi-level from our marketing plan because, in the end, it was the best for us. Single level was our only option—which meant putting the true popularity of our products and the loyalty of our customers to the test. We were able to see that AdvoCare could survive and thrive based solely on the merits of our products, our culture and our loyal distributors and customers who love the products.

I took a leap of faith with my amazing team and the decision was made on my third day as CEO to move forward with the single-level model. While this was not the third day on the job I’d ever envisioned, it was the best chance to save the company, move forward and continue to make an impact five, 10, 15 years down the road.

Many tough days followed that announcement. We got down to business with restructuring, layoffs and tightening in every single way—just to survive. We were in an unprecedented place. While affiliate models existed, there had never been a multi-level company with overrides and leadership bonuses that had transitioned to a single level compensation plan. There’s no map for companies, direct selling or otherwise, that have successfully achieved what we have. I am holding tight to the team I have because we’re unique in what we’re building, and I am forever grateful for how we’ve respectfully maintained our culture while making monumental change.

Making those announcements, sharing those changes—it was by far one of the most challenging times of my life. I knew we had to keep moving forward, and I felt a deep need to protect the business in any way that I could. Not protecting our loyal employees and distributors that still wanted to share our products was not an option I was willing to compromise on

New Focus. New Initiatives. New Opportunities.

I remember sitting in my office late one night, struggling with the enormity of the challenges we faced, when in a moment of clarity, I recalled what Marcus Aurelius once said, “What is in the way becomes the way.” It gave me a shift in mindset. Rather than worry about what we could no longer do, we began to shift our focus to the things we could do now that we couldn’t do before.

We started to ask ourselves: What if all that mattered was producing great products and making it easy to buy them? What if we didn’t have to launch a new product every six months at convention? What can we do differently? How can we change?

Our focus became simple: how do we become the best company for our 200,000 Preferred Customers? We took a deep dive into how to create excitement and consistency in ordering our products. We asked ourselves: What’s the company with the most user-friendly website out there? How does it work? How do we make ordering and trying our products easier?

We knew we needed to learn more. We set out to figure out who does “customer experience” the best, and how we could improve on it. We didn’t have the limitations of before, and neither did our distributors. How could we leverage that? We found that many of our distributors wanted to stay. They liked just selling products. They didn’t want to recruit. They wanted to sell and enjoy the products.

I thought about all the times I had stood on stage at convention and said, “This business is really for that mom that wants to make a couple hundred extra bucks a month.” I had said it, but had my actions really reflected that? Or had I been too focused on making our leaders happy?

If, as a company, we hadn’t focused on the mom making $100 before, we now had to not only focus on her—we had to make sure she could now make $200 for selling the exact same amount. That was our goal: Double the amount small distributors made and make the compensation plan 100 percent about them.

Keeping it Simple and Streamlined

Our first step was to simplify the checkout process on our website. In the past, there was a lengthy process for cold leads who came to the site to buy product. They had to click, register, become a customer—they couldn’t make a purchase without jumping through several hoops.

I know I wouldn’t do all that just to buy a product online. If I have to create an account, I’m out. If I need to do more than two clicks, I’m done. Shouldn’t we treat our customers with the same respect?

So, we changed our approach. Two clicks to check out. That’s it, and it works amazingly well. We added Apple Pay and guest checkout. We knew this approach would set off alarm bells for the field—and it did. But we asked them to trust us. We explained that if we sell more, you are going to make more—but you have to trust us.

Entering your ZIP code, finding a local distributor, offering personalized coaching—all those clicks that people had to go through—we got rid of it. We don’t ask customers for anything. What we discovered was—with that simple change—the conversion rate increased almost 10 times. And we passed the resulting commissions to the distributor on the back end.

We’ve built up a lot of trust and good will with our field with this maverick approach. We knew we had amazing products. We were going to build on that asset, hold on to our image and branding—and then we were going to try a bunch of things. Some would work. Some wouldn’t. But we would keep going.

We had a fail-fast mindset, and that made all the difference. Everything didn’t require a six-month development program. Launch it. See how it goes. If it doesn’t work, pivot. We began to take that mentality around everything that we did. We built a very simple compensation plan. I know how long it takes some companies to explain their comp plans. I used to be the same. I can now explain AdvoCare’s comp plan in about 15 seconds.

Our compensation plan is simple.

• Commissions on the sale of products (20-40%)
• Additional bonuses for total new customer orders and total customer orders
• Special monthly incentive rewards
• Annual incentive trip

We found that our distributors love these fun incentives, and they chase after opportunities. Whether it’s cash or AirPods or sunglasses they wouldn’t splurge on themselves, we tried it all to see what had the most traction. We poured everything into finding out what the field would and wouldn’t engage with.

At the same time—and this is very important—we began to recognize that in this new model, our field are hobbyists. They’re having fun, they’re sharing and they’re earning a little bit of extra money every month. So, we’re giving them opportunities to earn more than they used to, while honoring their level of commitment..

Key Lessons Learned

The reality is, with everything we’ve done; all the changes we’ve made; all the focus we’ve put in—there were two important lessons. And if you want to boil down the AdvoCare experience, the lessons are really simple and straightforward.

If you do what’s best for the customer, if your focus is 100 percent on that and you don’t get swayed by outside forces—things will work out. But the customer truly must be number one. And we have to challenge our pre-existing beliefs in order to keep that ideal in mind. Challenge your own thinking: Why is our website like this? Why do we market this product this way? What could we do or try differently? If the way something works isn’t the best thing for the customer—challenge it. You may not make every change, but you might make one that will make all the difference.

And the second lesson is a direct result of the first. Your leaders and your field will trust you more than you might expect. They will buy in more than you think. Will there be detractors? Always. But when you show them that doing the right thing for the customer and the right thing for the brand is ultimately the right thing for the field—they will respond favorably.

My hope is that you never have to face what we did. But the biggest takeaway from this for me has been that that you can never go wrong when you focus fully on the customer experience. If you have great products, and you work to truly make the customer experienced great—you, AND your field, will have success.

Staying in a Constant State of Growth

PM-International has set a high standard for prolonged, steady success.

By GORDON HESTER

The direct selling business in the US is going through a challenging transitional period. We are seeing an increasing number of companies struggle to evolve so they can remain competitive in a rapidly changing world. At the same time, we are dealing with high inflation, continued supply chain challenges, rising operational costs, reputation challenges and increased competition for consumers and new entrepreneurs.

Despite all these challenges, PM-International has achieved a constant state of growth for 29 straight years. PM has been awarded the DSN Bravo International Growth Award for two consecutive years and is on track to earn this award for an unprecedented third year.

I have been in this industry for almost 35 years and recently joined PM as their General Manager of Sales for the US and Canada. Like many, I was also curious how PM could maintain a constant state of growth since inception to the massive growth experienced over the last three years. A total of $2.38 billion in annual sales was reached in 2021. Below are my initial conclusions relating to the “PM Success Formula.”

Ultimate Decision Maker

In my many years working in direct selling and with many great leaders, the CEO and Founder of PM-International, Rolf Sorg, is the most talented leader I have ever worked with. Experience has taught me that the success or failure of any company will come down to how the leader runs it. Rolf has developed a time-tested cultural and business blueprint. The success formula has its foundations based on the following principles.

1 / High-Performance Culture

The company is managed with the mindset of giving your best every single day with a heavy focus on the key metrics that drive revenue. The company is data-driven and operates in a very “people-centric” way. There is very little tolerance for the three things that can stand in the way of success: entitlement, division and drama.

2 / Heart and Pride

One core value of PM-International is “heart and pride.” It refers to making your business a matter of the heart, sharing your genuine excitement with others and appealing to their pride. Rolf understood early on that the word “deserve” includes the word “serve” and established a culture based on a shared and deep commitment to living the PM mission.

3 / Conservative Financial Management

PM remains a debt-free company with a very high EBITDA. This allows us to invest back profits into ensuring the business stays competitive. In today’s marketplace, the costs of operations and innovation continue to increase. If a company does not have the resources to invest in growth, that can be a big obstacle to surviving challenging times. As a family-run company, swift decision making keeps PM-International one step ahead.

4 / World Class Products

To build a stable and long-lasting industry-leading company, you need to have products that create a loyal customer base. PM stands for “Premium” from beginning to end. Our products are exclusive and supported by 70+ international patents. It is why PM has sold over 800 million products since inception 29 years ago.

5 / Customer Focus

We have seen a shift in moving from an opportunity-centric approach to more of a customer-centric approach. Since the company’s inception, PM has been a step beyond the concept of customer-centric to the standard of being customer obsessed. In PM, the opportunity component of the business has created a passionate active distributor base focused on building a growing loyal customer base.

6 / Maintaining Field Trust

For any successful direct selling or network marketing company, the field is the primary driver of sales. The key is to keep them in a constant state of engagement. Any legacy company will tell you that is a difficult challenge as new distributors tend to leave quickly, and leaders tend to drift away from production over time. As the industry shifts to more of an omnichannel focus, it is essential to consider the impact on the field. As I look at the companies struggling to be successful today, the common challenge they have is that they have lost the trust of their field. This often tends to be a consequence of declining sales and commissions. The longer this occurs, the harder it is to right the ship. A big reason PM has experienced 29 straight years of growth is that they have never lost field trust or momentum.

A DNA of Innovation

Companies must remain willing and able to make changes to ensure they stay competitive in the marketplace. I often refer to this as having a “DNA of Innovation.” The principles that drive that at PM are:

• Taking risks
• Staying out of the comfort zone
• Learning from failures
• Scaling quickly through systemization
• Managing change effectively

While other companies have different visions and strategies than PM, there are some lessons on keeping consistent growth that can have value for any company. Many of our success principles are timeless and have been practiced since PM started 29 years ago. Change is the only constant in life, so adjusting to an ever-changing marketplace is the key for any company to ensure they remain relevant and competitive.

Building a Better Model

FASTer Way to Fat Loss lifts micro-influencers to new heights of success.

By AMANDA TRESS

When you start out in this channel, it’s impossible to predict what those first years will bring. You anticipate that there will be challenges. Unanticipated problems. Unexpected roadblocks. And, of course, you hope that there will be some successes in there, too. But, in the beginning, you just don’t know what you don’t know.

I founded FASTer Way to Fat Loss in January of 2016 with 11 clients, and I am blown away that since that time we have empowered over 252,000 people to transform their lives. Along the way, we have received many accolades—including making the Inc. 500 list four years running.

But it hasn’t always been that way. In May of 2018, I received devastating news. That spring had been a really exciting time. Our certification program was accredited with the biggest organizations in the wellness industry, and we were forming an amazing group of Certified Coaches to help us expand.

But that all changed when our top Certified Coach—someone who had earned over $500,000 in her first year with us; someone I had spent days, weeks and months of time mentoring—decided to start her own business leveraging the strategies, training and tools we had provided.

I felt so many emotions in that moment: sadness, betrayal, confusion. It’s tough when someone you have poured so much time, energy and resources into chooses to leave when you’ve worked so hard to help them to succeed.

Time to Pivot

It was this season, this situation, this pain that prompted me to consider whether or not there could be an additional strategy that would allow me to expand the business beyond just relying on our Certified Coach community, which led me to develop a one-tier micro-influencer marketing model.

Our client journey is very simple. We incorporate intermittent fasting, carb cycling, tracking micros, whole food nutrition and 30-minute workouts. In our new client six-week program, you pay $200 and learn all these strategies to kickstart your wellness journey then transfer to the VIP program where you gain access to even more resources and the opportunity to become a micro-influencer.

You can choose one of two tracks: become a Brand Ambassador for free or a Certified Coach for $5,000. We absolutely love our Certified Coaches and have an incredible community of wellness professionals. We also really appreciate our Ambassadors. When an Ambassador spreads the word about the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, they receive a one-time $50 commission on our six-week program. They often represent multiple brands in addition to ours and use our strategies and marketing to quickly and exponentially increase their followers.

Micro-influencers represent the present and the future. Social media platforms favor them in newsfeeds. You might have noticed this recently—perhaps you follow some big brands on Instagram or Facebook, but you aren’t seeing them in your newsfeed as much as you used to.

What you are seeing more of are smaller content creators. In the past three months alone, we’ve had many Ambassadors or Coaches grow from hundreds of followers to 150,000 followers. We empower our micro-influencers—whether Ambassadors or Coaches—to generate highly qualified leads, and then we do quite a bit of hard work to help convert those leads into paying customers. We give them social media content. We share marketing tips. We have lead generation campaigns that our micro-influencers love to promote.

Recently, we did a Gut and Butt Five Day Challenge. We told our micro-influencers to promote the challenge, which cost $20 in order to receive a 50 percent commission. In these micro-commitment campaigns, we’ve had up to a 27 percent conversion rate. You are simply not going to experience those percentages with paid advertising.

One and Done

The reason I call this a one-tier model is because not only do we have Ambassadors who work directly with the corporate team to send clients to the six-week program, we also empower our Coaches to bring on their own Brand Ambassadors within their organization.

The Brand Ambassador receives a one-time commission. And frankly—that’s all they care about. They do not worry about recurring or passive revenue. They simply want to share something they love for that one-time commission.

I know it can be intimidating to consider a new model. I reside in Tampa Bay, and we recently had a hurricane come through. I was preparing to evacuate with five kids—it was stressful to say the least. But I had the privilege of preparation. We’ve all seen the reality of where the channel is headed. What used to work no longer resonates. But each of us currently has the privilege of preparation. I encourage you to turn your pain points into purpose as you consider new strategies.

The Perks of Being a Newcomer

Having an outsider’s view fuels Qyral’s success.

By HANIEH SIGARI

When I founded Qyral, I had certain ambitions in mind. I’d already built businesses in healthcare and eCommerce, and I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve. I wanted to create something cutting-edge; make a difference; give back to others; and provide a path to success for as many people as possible.

The more I looked into the history of direct sales, the more convinced I became that this channel was prime for disruption and was the obvious solution to empower, educate and elevate others. But I couldn’t ignore the downsides. Coming from the cutthroat world of eCommerce, where everybody is in a race to out-innovate, the technologies and methodologies of direct sales felt old and antiquated. I wanted to try something new, but every idea I suggested was shot down by industry experts.

We already tried. It doesn’t work. You can’t do that.

Breaking the Mold

As a biochemist and entrepreneur, I’m both analytical and creative when it comes to running my business—I don’t like to be told that I can’t do something. Qyral is already the culmination of so many firsts. The first personalized skincare in the social selling space. The first to adjust pH and concentration. The first to partner with telehealth medicine to offer prescription-grade, custom-compounded formulations direct to consumers. But what good was all that innovation if it was trapped in tired, underperforming methodologies?

Direct selling has been around since the 1930s because it works. I believe that. But when I explored standard training tools for distributors, I felt like so much was missing. New technologies are released all the time. Old ones are constantly evolving. The way we harness these technologies has to evolve, too.

When you’re enmeshed in an industry, it’s sometimes hard to take that step back. So many direct selling companies are founded and led by amazing people who’ve been involved in the business most of their careers. That experience and insight cannot be underestimated, but I believe it also creates blind spots. If you’ve risen through the ranks as a distributor before starting your own business, why wouldn’t you duplicate the sales methods that worked for you?

What I’ve seen is that traditional methods become less effective over time. Layer in regulation, and it starts getting more convoluted. Knowing when and how to innovate is a challenge for every company, but it’s especially difficult when leadership is used to doing things a particular way.

In sales, there will always be rock stars—outliers with natural talent and charisma who can sell water to a fish. I made a conscious decision not to focus on those unicorns. I wanted to help as many people as possible, and that meant creating a system that could be used by anyone.

I found inspiration from franchises. You don’t need to be a rock star to run a successful McDonald’s or Dunkin’ Donuts—those companies have developed sequential, duplicable systems anyone can follow. That’s what I wanted to create. I’d much rather find a hundred coachable people with drive and commitment than sign up a million distributors who barely scrape a profit.

Insight over Hindsight

One of the best ways to tap into innovative ideas is to look at newcomers to the industry. Mega corporations struggle to pivot and produce something new. eCommerce killed department stores. Netflix put Blockbuster out of business. Expedia did away with the travel agent. Disruption happens constantly. You either stay agile enough to innovate or get slow enough to be made obsolete.

In Qyral’s early days, I wanted to develop a strategy for selling on third-party marketplaces like Amazon. I was immediately told I couldn’t—selling directly to consumers would alienate distributors and damage the brand. I listened to that advice—and I regret it.

Direct selling brands have to have stores on these marketplaces. Otherwise distributors do it themselves, undercutting retail prices and damaging the integrity of the company and opportunity.

As a consumer, why would I buy through a distributor when I can order on Amazon? As a distributor, why would I concentrate on building a local network when I can list my products on the world’s biggest marketplace?

When established businesses fail to innovate, newcomers don’t hesitate. Distributors saw the potential and immediately filled that gap, leaving companies scrambling to keep up. With hindsight, it was obvious. But industry wisdom was still hung up on old, obsolete business models.

The startup phase is exciting—you’re full of ideas and eager to reinvent how the business works. Most of us lose touch with that as we become embedded in the systems we once wanted to revolutionize.

Direct selling’s superpower is its ability to tap into a steady stream of newcomer insight and innovation. Listen to your distributors—watch what they’re doing on the front lines. You’ll uncover incredible ideas that could empower your field and enrich your company culture. DSN

Disruption happens constantly. You either stay agile enough to innovate or get slow enough to be made obsolete.

From the January/February 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Paving Their Own Way first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Direct selling executives need insight and fresh ideas now more than ever before. In one of the most challenging years in direct selling history, leaders faced continued lockdowns in certain markets, changing consumer behaviors, a tense regulatory environment and lingering supply chain issues.

To provide practical solutions, Direct Selling University enlisted more than 25 of the industry’s leading executives to share unique perspectives and new approaches regarding some of the most complex issues facing the channel today.

We kicked off DSU with the CEO Forum, one of our highest rated events, and had 75 executives in the room representing $43 billion in revenue,” said Stuart Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Selling News, Direct Selling Partners and NOW Tech. “We talked about omnichannel strategies, fighting field fatigue (our industry’s version of quiet quitting), attracting the next generation, industry reputation and the rise of affiliate models in the marketplace.”

Johnson cast vision for attendees, calling them to move beyond customer-centric thinking to becoming customer-obsessed. Following his lead, speakers provided tangible ways to improve customer conversion rates, improve salesforce morale, upgrade training systems, drive revenue and create authentic connection with customers.

“DSU gives leaders the chance to open their minds to a bigger picture,” Johnson said. “This event exists to share knowledge, future trends and success stories that inspire, challenge beliefs and spark change. I’m confident that every executive left the event with at least one game-changing idea or initiative to take back to their teams.”

Addressing Amazon

Amazon. The eCommerce goliath has been the elephant in the room for years, and for the first time, Direct Selling University tackled the challenge head-on. Without shying away from the complexities of the issue, DSU offered multiple opportunities for participants to listen and learn from experts about how to alter their approach to what is arguably the industry’s biggest competitor.

Blake Mallen, Author, President of Prüvit, delivered the most talked about speech of the event, as well as a break-out workshop session that drew more than 150 attendees, discussing his proven Amazon strategy.

“A lot of customers buying on Amazon assume they are buying from the company directly, and when they receive a damaged or expired product, they’ll either blow up the support team with their complaints or—worse—blast Amazon with negative reviews,” Mallen said. “This stuff can cause serious potential long-term damage to our brands. When you share the message that anyone can start today with the same opportunity to change their life, but when there are different prices for different people, it can erode the very heart of what our channel stands for.”

Continuing the event’s conversation about how to become customer-obsessed, Mallen explained the importance of setting an intentional Amazon game plan, telling attendees that winning the Amazon game begins with controlling their brand’s footprint on Amazon.

“This is not the future—this is the present,” Mallen said. “Amazon is a key part of the customer journey today, which means this cannot be ignored. This is something we as a channel need to do not only for our companies—but for our communities—and make the shift our industry really needs.”

Rudy Revak, Founder and Chairman, Xyngular, reminded leaders of the importance of taking care of new distributors and helping the sales force stay persistent and positive.

Shelley Rojas, Chief Brand Officer, Direct Selling News, and Heather Chastain, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bridgehead Collective and Direct Selling News Strategic Advisor, announced a new social community platform for DSN Supporters, as well as a new entry-level of Support, the Advocate, that will enhance the user experience and open up becoming a part of Direct Selling News to many more companies.

Magnus Brännström, President & Chief Executive Officer, Oriflame, focused on the ways the pandemic impacted work trends and how Oriflame reorganized its brand experience structure to improve the product, customer, digital, social selling and employee culture experiences.

Lynne Coté, President and Chief Executive Officer, Princess House, and Laura Beitler, Chief Global Sales Officer, Rodan + Fields, in a conversation with Heather Chastain, discussed the importance of transparency in creating alignment between the home office and the field in the midst of change and challenges.

Dan Macuga, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, USANA, illustrated the power of their “Start Something” campaign and offered a how-to for companies wanting to create similar initiatives that drive customer engagement, loyalty and connection.

Amber Snow, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Amway, shared how executives can make DE&I more than just a buzzword in their companies by facing the fact that people of color make up only 14 percent of direct selling representatives and persuaded leaders to make a commitment to listen, learn and act.

Amanda Tress, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, FASTer Way to Fat Loss, shared the simplicity of her company’s one-tier micro-influencer marketing model, and why she believes it could be a powerful strategy for companies fearing FTC scrutiny and enhanced regulations.

Glenn Sanford, Founder, eXp Realty, Chief Executive Officer, eXp World Holdings and SUCCESS, in an interview with Stuart Johnson, discussed the strategy behind eXp Realty’s hypergrowth and why a focus on agent experience has built a collaborative culture that drives value.

Wayne Moorehead, Marketing and Branding Expert and Host of the Direct Approach Podcast, in an interview with Stuart Johnson, reflected on the hot topics and trends discussed during interviews with leaders from 30 different companies who represent $30 billion in revenue.

Russ Moorehead, Chief Marketing Officer, Nu Skin, exposed five myths direct selling companies often fall prey to, and why the latest shopping trends give direct-to-consumer companies a significant advantage.

Patrick Wright, Chief Executive Officer, AdvoCare, gave a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s 2019 FTC settlement and described how seeing limitations as opportunities has allowed AdvoCare to increase its customer conversion rate by 10x while better serving their affiliates.

Jesse McKinney, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Red Aspen, shared a sneak peek into the company’s 2023 strategy, including four pillars—sustainability, technology initiatives, Tik Tok-style training videos and a new Gen Z-focused product category—all inspired by her experience at DSU Spring 2022.

Nick Martinez, Top Distributor, Prüvit, encouraged industry leaders to embrace distributors who are building influence instead of recruiting and why consistently creating social media content can be the key to unlocking top earner potential.

Noah Westerlund, Executive Vice President, NOW Tech, in a conversation with Wayne Moorehead, discussed the importance of Quick Commerce and long-form landing pages to increase conversion rates.

Michele Gay, Co-Founder & Chairwoman, LimeLife by Alcone, described the toll the pandemic took on women especially, and how the Three Laws of Performance helped her sales field and staff overcome the fixed mindsets and patterns of excuses that two years of living in a socially distanced world had created.

Ben Riley, President, Young Living, reminded participants of the importance of disruption and how direct selling leaders can leverage small-scale innovation and strategic change management to outsmart gig economy competitors.

Brandy Huyser, Director of XS Energy and Next Gen Strategy, Amway/XS, reflected on 20 years of adventure as the XS Energy brand built momentum by upending business-as-usual at Amway, staying focused on the field, controlling the supply chain through local manufacturing and creation and designing a youth-driven culture.

Jason Dorsey, President, Center for Generational Kinetics, Speaker and Researcher, offered a sneak peek at the first-ever generational research study conducted in direct selling that he will be leading for Direct Selling News to uncover how to quickly connect with, build trust and drive influence across generations.

Gina Ghura, Chief Marketing Officer, MONAT, offered advice for building consumer love through relationship building, personalized customer experiences, distinctive product offerings and a compensation plan that rewards customer acquisition and retention.

Rajneesh Chopra, Chief Commercial Officer, Immunotec, shared how the company invested in technology and opened new markets and manufacturing facilities during the pandemic, resulting in tremendous growth that is moving them forward in the midst of a cooling economy.

Garrett McGrath, President, ANMP, talked about the power of tiny gains and how improving by one percent every day in the areas of customer retention, community building and compensation strategies can build unstoppable momentum.

Dana Roefer, Author, Entrepreneur and Direct Selling Strategist, highlighted takeaways from her book Shopping Social and shared how education is crucial for helping consumers understand how social shopping can connect them with products that support their best life.

Darnell Self, Executive Vice President of Network and Business Development, PPLSI, shared his insights as both a field leader and industry executive, shining a light on the undervalued priorities of effective communication and a healthy team culture.

Gordon Hester, General Manager Sales, North America, PM-International AG, explained how culture is the biggest differentiator in business, and why focusing on revenue drivers and profitability can prevent feelings of entitlement and division within the field.

Must-See (In-Person) Events

The energy of this DSU—the first in-person fall version ever held—was inspiring, and the feedback received was overwhelmingly positive—making this Direct Selling University one of the most successful to date.

Planning for the next DSU event in April of 2023 in Frisco, Texas is underway, and the momentum and excitement is already building.

From the December 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post DSU Fall 2022: Lessons for an Evolving channel first appeared on Direct Selling News.

DSN recognizes that there are many compelling growth stories from exceptional companies around the globe. To honor and acknowledge the achievements of these global success stories, we developed the Bravo International Growth Award.

For the second year in a row, this award was presented to PM-International. This leading global brand offers premium, cutting-edge products for health, fitness and beauty. Founded in 1993, PM-International now operates in 45 countries around the world, where it helps its customers enjoy their life to the fullest.

Their growth in recent years has been nothing short of extraordinary. In fact, they increased $600 million from $1.11 billion in sales in 2019 to a staggering $1.71 billion in 2020. And, in 2021, they did it again—increasing more than $671 million year-over-year, earning them back-to-back Bravo International Growth Awards, with a total of $2.38 billion in revenue.

And PM-International has no intention of slowing down. As Founder and CEO Rolf Sorg recently shared with us, “This year, we are working towards our third billion in sales.” So, what does the future hold for this innovative, expansive company and its dynamic leadership team? We sat down with Sorg to get his thoughts on the company, the channel and what comes next.

Fast, Flexible and Family Owned

Growth of this magnitude doesn’t happen by accident, and Sorg has pinpointed several key factors that have contributed to the company’s continued success.

Expanding their product range to better meet the needs and interests of their customers has helped to bolster sales. “We registered an increased interest in topics around prevention and healthy lifestyles,” Sorg said. “To meet our customers’ needs, we have strengthened our focus in this area and launched a new product called FitLine IB5.”

But product line expansions tell only part of the story. Attitude and commitment are also important contributors. “Quick decision making combined with the burning desire and extreme commitment of our distribution partners and corporate teams have made all the difference,” Sorg said. “They are doing an extraordinary job every single day.”

That quick decision-making has manifested itself in numerous ways. PM-International is laser-focused on doing everything possible to support their field. According to Sorg, “We have moved with the times and found fast and flexible solutions in supply chain management and digitalization of our services. We also invest permanently in our logistics and our locations. As a family-owned-and-operated business, this allows us to stay flexible and make value-based and long-term decisions.”

Continued international expansion is also a key component of the Luxembourg-based company’s future plans. “We just opened our new subsidiaries in Portugal and the U.K. and plan eight more in 2022, including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Hungary, Colombia and New Zealand,” Sorg shared. “We are also looking into expansion on the African continent, starting from Morocco and Ivory Coast. Plus, we’re investing in our American infrastructure with new branches in the north and west regions of the U.S.”

Poised for Future Growth

The future for PM-International looks incredibly bright, even in these uncertain times. “We are faced with an ever-changing situation and new challenges on a daily basis, such as ensuring stable supply chains in times of worldwide conflicts,” said Sorg. “As we transition out of the pandemic era of working only from home, we enter this new chapter strengthened and with a clear focus on our next goals.”

And those goals are crystal clear: to improve the quality of life for millions of customers and the standard of living for hundreds of thousands of people around the world. “We will continue to focus on sustainable growth. This also allows us to share our success with more than 4,000 sponsored children and their families all over the world through our charity PM We Care,” Sorg explained.

Leading with Consistency and Commitment

Several executives from PM-International attended the DSN Global Celebration, and Sorg shared his thoughts on winning this prestigious award on stage. “I feel very honored to receive this award for the second year in a row,” he shared. “In these challenging times, we really have adapted to circumstances with a high team spirit, strong commitment and outstanding work attitude.”

But PM-International is not resting on its laurels and is looking to build on their momentum and reputation. “One of my personal goals is to improve the image of our industry. Direct selling is a great opportunity for everyone, and we want to lead by example. We want to be known as a successful direct selling company based on values,” Sorg shared.

From the June 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post PM-International / Global Growth on a Grand Scale first appeared on Direct Selling News.

After a multi-year hiatus, Direct Selling University was back in-person at the Omni Hotel in Frisco, Texas, infused with more energy and excitement than ever before. The educational and networking opportunity, which has been held virtually during the pandemic, offered experience-based, high-impact insight into everything from improving communication and onboarding practices to the importance of sustainability and diversity.

“Being back in person for the first time in three years was incredibly energizing,” said Shelley Rojas, Publisher and Chief Brand Officer for Direct Selling News. “The human connectivity and interaction reuniting with our in-person attendees was inspiring and a lot of fun.”

Headlining the event was Jason Dorsey, author, speaker, researcher and President of The Center for Generational Kinetics, who shared an extensive data-backed look at the generational trends in consumer purchasing, recruitment, communication and engagement. His keynote address inspired an enthusiastic conversation among attendees about how companies can leverage their culture, technology, digital footprint, messaging tactics and customer service strategies to successfully reach even more people.

“It’s always important to have outside, expert perspectives to help everyone learn, grow, stretch and evolve individually and as a channel,” Rojas said. “Jason’s insights and research on generational trends are fascinating.”

Technology was by far the most discussed category among the generational divides, with Dorsey highlighting how each age group interacts with online platforms in unique ways. By honoring every generational segment within the industry, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, and acknowledging their separate needs and preferences, Dorsey illustrated how the channel has the opportunity to become not only more relevant, but more effective as well.

“Direct selling has and will always be a people business,” Rojas said. “The more companies focus on how to understand and embrace people from every generation for their strengths and communication styles combined with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in their decision making and culture building, we believe significant shifts and evolution can happen.”

Edify and Inform

This year’s lineup featured more than 30 speakers from top performing direct selling brands, rising stars within the industry, marketing experts and innovators, with thought leaders and top executives from companies around the world gathered to network, learn and share insights throughout the two-day event.

“At DSN, we strive to edify, inform and educate the channel and the executives that lead it,” said Stuart Johnson, Direct Selling News Founder and CEO. “Direct Selling University serves as a strong foundation for that goal by bringing together some of the channel’s most prominent executives, champions and thought leaders. We create an open, transparent environment that’s designed to foster the sharing of ideas and best practices for the betterment of direct selling as a whole.”

Carrying that mission beyond the event, Direct Selling News also shared its new opportunities for connection, through the DSN VIP Community, a fully customizable text messaging platform that sends news alerts based on user preferences, and the DSN Membership Program, which provides exclusive training and educational opportunities to keep corporate staff members one step ahead with the most important trends and breaking news.

“We’re in the midst of a strategic renaissance here at Direct Selling News and are eagerly looking for ways to share practical solutions to common challenges with the executives who are leading the future of this channel,” Rojas said.

Jason Dorsey, Author, Speaker and President of The Center for Generational Kinetics, brought decades’ worth of data to the stage, sharing the generational angles that no one is talking about and how paying attention to the differences in these segments can help companies future-proof their businesses.

Stuart Johnson, CEO, Direct Selling News, Direct Selling Partners & NOW Technologies, pointed out how the pandemic accelerated trends that were already in motion within the industry and how the channel can use sampling and referrals to capitalize on that customer-centric momentum.

Rolf Sorg, Founder & CEO, PM-International, illustrated how he used solution-oriented thinking to find opportunity within the challenges of the past year to exceed $2 billion in sales.

Sarah Shadonix, Founder & CEO, Scout & Cellar, shared some of her young company’s biggest mistakes and how learning from previous fumbles can help leaders build better businesses.

Brian Underwood, Co-Founder & CEO, Prüvit, and Terry Lacore, Founder & CEO, Lacore Enterprises, in a Q&A panel with Wayne Moorehead, Host of The Direct Approach Podcast, explained how their innovative partnership with Sunbasket is driving consumer engagement while building cost-effective and simple onramps for complicated products that develop loyal customers.

John Parker, West Region President and Chief Sales Officer, Amway; Mark Pentecost, Founder & Chairman, It Works!; and Tarl Robinson, Founder & CEO, Plexus Worldwide, participated in a panel led by Stuart Johnson, and shared why investing in growth amid incredible momentum is critical; offered an inside look at Amway’s approach to sustaining an entrepreneurial culture while leading one of the most well-known brands in America; and how to embrace every phase of a company’s growth.

Ami Perry and Noah Westerlund of NOW Technologies leveraged their data analytics to illustrate how to improve adoption of digital platforms and increase recruitment and retention numbers.

Russ Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer, Xyngular, taught a Personal Development 101 course on stage, sharing how to involve distributors through quick, digital engagements while monitoring perceived value.

Shelley Rojas, Publisher and Chief Brand Officer, Direct Selling News, shared the many free resources available to direct selling executives to connect with breaking news, inspiring stories and education to find answers to everyday leadership challenges through DSN’s VIP community and vast masterclass archives with the DSN Membership Program.

Mike Lohner, President and Chief Financial Officer, Direct Selling Acquisition Corporation, provided an update on the first special purpose acquisition company entirely focused on the direct selling channel and traded on the New York Stock Exchange, including its overwhelmingly positive reception on the market that resulted in raising $230 million.

Kelly Bellerose, Senior Vice President, 4Life, used data from recent studies to explain how vital imagery is for brand communications and why cohesion through consistency, familiarity and repetition can form a brand language that draws in customers in a way that text alone never could.

Debbie Bolton, Co-Founder, Norwex, told the story of how she switched her mindset from a perspective of building a dynasty to creating a legacy, and how leading with the future in mind has helped her company stay relevant.

Daniel Picou, Founder and CEO, Vasayo, discussed lessons learned during international expansion into China, and how to build a sustainable business through steady growth built on customer loyalty and a flexible leadership team.

Kindra Hall, Author, Speaker and Storytelling Expert, explained why the stories we tell ourselves can limit our success, and offered an action plan for transforming the lives of potential superstar leaders by teaching them how to change their own storytelling.

Jesse McKinney, Amanda Moore, Genie Reese, Co-Founders, Red Aspen, interviewed by Heather Chastain, Founder & CEO, Bridgehead Collective and new Strategic Advisor at DSN, shared how they drive engagement through constantly refreshing their product offerings and why sharing all of their marketing assets and training materials publicly has decreased skepticism.

Kevin Guest, Chairman & CEO, USANA, talked about how 30 years of successful business has illustrated the importance of focusing on active customer counts rather than revenue to maintain the overall growth and long-term sustainability of a company.

Sinan Tuna, CEO North America, Farmasi, shared his perspective as a Gen Z leader and how his company has crafted a winning expansion strategy by being nimble, responsive and fast moving.

Wayne Moorehead, Marketing, Brand Strategy & Direct-to-Consumer Industry Expert and Host of The Direct Approach podcast, discussed the changing competitive landscapes direct sellers operate in and how companies can deliver a timely, relevant message across a growing array of customer touchpoints.

Katy Holt-Larsen, President and CEO, Kyäni, talked about how to take the industry to the next level by fighting back against “business as usual” and casting a resilient vision.

Stuart MacMillan, President, MONAT, pointed out the uniqueness of the channel and how an unwavering commitment to acquiring and satisfying customers is the best engine for growth and an effective defense against an ever-changing regulatory environment.

Crayton Webb, Founder & CEO, Sunwest Communications, shared lessons from pop culture about crisis preparedness and how quick, clear communication can prevent damage to a brand’s reputation.

Kirsten Aguilar, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing and SeneCare, SeneGence, shared how they have leveraged a collaboration with distributors who have massive social media followings to promote products in a budget-friendly, viral way.

Paul Adams, Founder & CEO, Adams Resource Group, offered a blueprint for how to create, own and defend your company culture.

Deborah K. Heisz, Co-CEO, Neora, explained the importance of leading rather than reacting in a crisis and shared the key components of their success amid a lengthy battle with the FTC.

Heather Chastain, Founder & CEO, Bridgehead Collective, encouraged leaders to manage field expectations through realistic stories and thoughtful transparency to help them reach their goals.

Kindsey Pentecost, Chief Marketing Officer, It Works!, shared how authenticity, caring for their corporate team as well as the field, being willing to fail, and aligning their culture with their brand accelerated their growth and gave them a competitive advantage.

Don Thompson, President, LegalShield, discussed the challenges of being an established subscription-based service company with aging field leadership and their innovative solutions that honor these legacies while infusing energy into new recruits.

John Addison, Chief Executive Officer, Addison Leadership Group, called people to take charge of their thoughts and attitudes to cultivate a better life and become a person that people want to follow.

From the June 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Direct Selling University 2022 first appeared on Direct Selling News.