We in the direct selling channel have long known that our unique ability to forge enduring relationships with people is what makes us the envy of so many. In this relationship business, we have found new ways to connect, share and learn from one another.
I don’t exaggerate when I say that DSA’s recent in-person and virtual educational programs have offered an explosion of opportunities to showcase direct selling’s resilience, adaptability and entrepreneurial willingness. We have shared the solutions that continue to connect us and adapt to a changing marketplace, and we anticipate an exciting fall calendar.
As I look to my Government Affairs colleagues, I am inspired: I see a summer filled with forceful advocacy initiatives that will lay an essential foundation for upcoming engagement initiatives:
- DSA staff has participated in eight events with state Attorneys General, state legislators and state retail associations to build connections with these important audiences in support of regulatory and legislative initiatives;
- DSA brought three new congressional leaders into the Congressional Direct Selling Caucus’ leadership;
- DSA’s FTC Engagement Task Force has continued its engagement with the Federal Trade Commission on Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding Earnings Claims;
- Our partnership with multiple associations continues the work of supporting S. 3410, the bill that would require the Federal Trade Commission to have reasonable guardrails before pursuing an enforcement action; and,
- DSA’s ongoing conversations with the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection are making important inroads: Samuel Levine, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission, is set to speak at the upcoming DSA Legal & Regulatory Seminar about the FTC’s new rulemaking, and its relevance to the channel.
These accomplishments are significant, and they reveal fertile ground for a particularly robust calendar of educational opportunities.
Visit DSA. org and register for these events:
- Direct Selling Day on Capitol Hill (September 20-21, Washington, D.C.)
- DSA Legal & Regulatory Seminar (September 21-23, Washington, D.C.)
- Women’s Industry Leadership Retreat Hosted by SeneGence International (October 5-7, 2022, Tulsa, OK; invitation only)
- DSA/DSEF Board and Committee Meetings (September 19-20, 2022, Washington, D.C.)
- DSA VISION 2023: Sales & Marketing Conference (November 9-10, Park City, UT)
I would also like to mention an important DSEF event that will convene academics who study the intersection of trust and consumer behavior.
The DSEF Building Trust in the Marketplace: Ideas, Insights, and Strategies Conference is scheduled to be held at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in Atlanta, GA on October 13-14, 2022. Please watch for information from the Foundation.
As we focus our goals and activities for the remainder of 2022 and plan for 2023, we hope you are as excited as we are to continue our vital work on behalf of direct selling.
Melissa K. Burton is the Senior Vice President, Education & Meeting Services for the Direct Selling Association.
From the September 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.
