His Life in the Dash
Before the internet was widely available to the public, JR Ridinger envisioned a day when people would buy just about everything they needed and wanted online. He and his wife Loren founded Market America in 1992—years before shopping online was anywhere close to mainstream. It was truly a revolutionary concept more than 30 years ago. In 2010, the company acquired SHOP.com, and today is a global online retail giant with annual revenues topping $800 million.
JR passed away in August 2022, but his undeniable, lasting impact continues to ripple throughout the industry and beyond, which is why he is more than deserving of this Legacy Award.
“He was a big believer in community and that people would buy products from people that they know, love and trust. He was a visionary,” Loren shared. “He saw the internet before people even had computers. He told us that people would buy their shoes or clothes or vitamins online, and he was right. Thirty-one years later, we’re a true success story.”
Loren shared that online commerce was hard to imagine back in the early 1990s, but she knew JR was a master at following through and realizing a dream. “It was hard for us to understand it in the early days ourselves,” she said. “He would say, ‘People are gonna buy everything they could possibly want and need online.’ Back then, I used to think he was crazy. Almost all our sales are done online now, and it’s incredible.”
Instilling Belief in People
Market America’s tagline is Built on Product, Powered by People. One of JR’s core convictions was to empower others by instilling belief in them so they could do things they didn’t think were possible. Market America’s business was built on what any individual could actually do without having to build a massive team. Instead, it focused on identifying two people and achieving specific steps that led to a personal goal.
“What he wanted to do ultimately was create a plan that was based on realistic expectations,” said Andrew Weissman, Vice President. “As a result, we based the plan on what people had been proven to actually achieve, as opposed to what companies wanted people to do. Our whole system is based on what is in line with reality.”
Loren shared, “JR saw a hero in everyone, and he understood how to help others realize and maximize their potential. He worked with people who were willing to work and showed them how to get what they wanted. If people were willing to invest in themselves, he would invest in them.”
“He believed in the power of people—that the most powerful force in the world is people,” Andrew remembered. “He combined all the technology with human connection and relationships. His superpower was seeing the potential in others and believing in others much more than they believed in themselves.”
“He entertained himself. JR thought he was funny, and he was,” Loren shared with a laugh. “He loved his family—he was very attached to me and the kids. He was fun. He worked a lot, but his work was his play. He was always making you believe that you were better than you ever thought you possibly were. And it’s one of the greatest gifts. And it’s one of the things I’ve missed the most about my husband—all the belief that he was putting in us.”
Understanding Industry Challenges
Seeing many distributors in the industry acquiring physical products before selling them, JR saw a future where the company stocked and shipped products. “He wanted to make it easier. He wanted to make it more attractive for people where the company would deliver and do all that heavy lifting for them,” Loren said.
Not only did he have strong views on the right way to run a people-first company, JR also held powerful beliefs on how the larger industry should operate. He was a believer in reasonable, healthy restrictions. Retail requirements with actual end customers were vital. Loren recalled that he made it a rule from the beginning that people had to submit and document retail receipts. “He wanted people to be able to buy product and sell it. He didn’t want them to be storing products in their garages. He wanted to be legitimately retail driven. He wanted people to buy the product because they loved and needed the product.”
The Lasting Legacy
JR had a well-known saying inside and outside of the industry: what are you going to do with the dash? “One of his big messages to people in our community was that they needed to do something with the dash, do something with the line between their birthdate and their death date. That little line would make such a difference for him.”
He passed away unexpectedly while on vacation with Loren after celebrating the company’s 30th year. Once Loren returned, she discovered documents JR had written that directed the trajectory of the company.
“I’m not sure when JR wrote the messages, but when I found them, it was clear he had been planning the blueprint for the next 15 to 20 years, as he did the first 30 years,” Loren said. “Those messages provide exceptional detail regarding what to do in any number of circumstances the company may face in the future.”
Loren has revamped the company’s direction and mission with JR’s continued inspiration and guidance, even after his passing. “So many people stay in our business because they just love being part of a beautiful, uplifting community,” Loren shared. “We spend a lot of time helping people become the best versions of themselves by focusing on self development and helping people believe in themselves. I am back on the road again helping people, exactly where JR would be if he were still here with me. And because of JR’s vision, I’m able to do everything he left in those notes. I’m following his vision exactly to the tee.”
From the June 2024 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.
