The Asian Pacific Advantage

Are Asian Americans the next demographic poised to fuel direct selling’s growth?

May is Asian Pacific Heritage Month, and in honor of this occasion, Direct Selling News (DSN) is taking a thorough look at this potentially game-changing demographic.

The percentage of the global direct selling salesforce that identifies as Asian or Asian American is growing.

Much like the names Latino and Hispanic are home to a diverse group of cultures with their own traditions, history and expectations, the Asian and Asian American population represents vast groups of people with distinct preferences for how companies communicate and reward them. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for any demographic, and Asian and Asian American communities are no exception.

A number of companies within the service sector of direct selling have already found great success through serving this market, including World Financial Group, whose distributor base is largely Asian or Asian American and sees annual revenue of $1.5 billion.

Product-focused companies such as Sunrider and PM-International are also finding success in both their domestic and international regions. Sunrider reported that roughly 10 percent of its salesforce within the US and North America identifies as Asian or Asian American. When considering its global workforce, that number jumps to a staggering 75 percent.

The numbers alone are impressive, but when cultural preferences and traditions are factored in, it’s clear that this is a demographic with unlimited potential and promise.

A Growing Demographic

To fully grasp why DSN believes this is next breakout audience for the channel, it’s important to examine its size and scope. Approximately 24 million people in the United States identified as Asian alone or in combination with another race, based on the 2020 US Census and American Community Survey. This represents about 7.2 percent of the total US population.

The Asian American population is the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the United States. Between 2010 and 2020, the Asian population grew by 35.5 percent—more than any other major racial group.

But Asian Americans are not a monolith. There are multiple subgroups—each with their own unique cultures and preferences.

Largest Asian Ethnic Subgroups in the US

Cultural Preferences Move the Needle

Another contributing factor is a strong cultural propensity for business ownership. Asian Americans exhibit a clear inclination toward entrepreneurship and micro-entrepreneurship, often surpassing other demographic groups in business ownership.

According to a recent study by the US Small Business Administration. as of 2024, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders own over 3 million businesses in the US, employing approximately 5.2 million people and generating nearly $959 billion in sales annually.

Asian Americans currently constitute about 6.4 percent of entrepreneurs in the US, and approximately 10.3 percent of Asian American and Pacific Islander workers are self-employed, a rate higher than the national average.

The reasons Asians Americas gravitate to entrepreneurship closely align with the benefits of the direct selling opportunity. Factors such as perceived recognition; a desire for independence; and the pursuit of innovation are often cited.

Cultural values emphasizing education, hard work and self-reliance also contribute to the entrepreneurial aspirations within Asian American communities according to the Pew Research Center.​

“Asians here are hardworking, always looking to achieve rank and sell more products,” explained Sunrider CEO Sunny Beutler. “The challenge is to make sure we are keeping up to date with all the trends in Asia and staying a modern and innovative brand in their eyes.”

PM-International’s success in international markets such as South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Australia and New Zealand has also found traction in the Americas.

“We truly value our international distributors from diverse backgrounds,” said Lea Hertz, PM-International Internal Communications Officer. “While we don’t register quantitative information about the ancestry of our distributors, we’re proud to have members of the Korean, Chinese and other Asian communities working with PM-International across all our markets in the Americas. Their strong performance significantly contributes to our growth.”

The Next Big Thing?

It’s clear that the Asian American market represents a huge opportunity based on favorable demographics and a cultural affinity for entrepreneurship. We’ve identified several companies in the channel that currently enjoy a strong presence with the Asian American community.

Health, Wellness & Skincare

These companies have expansive product portfolios in the categories that resonate very strongly with the Asian American demographic: health/wellness and beauty/personal care.

• 4Life—Popular with Filipino and Southeast Asian distributors.
• Enagic—Very strong among Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese American fields.
• LifeWave—Includes field leaders from Korean and Vietnamese communities.
• Nu Skin—Massive penetration in Korean, Chinese and Southeast Asian communities.
• Shaklee—Strong with older-generation health-conscious Asian Americans.
• Sunrider—Founded by a Taiwanese couple; deeply rooted in Chinese herbal medicine.
• USANA—Especially popular with Chinese and Korean Americans.
• Young Living—Natural wellness philosophy resonates with Filipino and Vietnamese American segments.

Real Estate, Insurance & Financial Services

These companies have large field forces in multicultural markets like California, New York and Hawaii—all strong markets for Asian American entrepreneurship.

• Equis Financial / Family First Life / North American Senior Benefits—These final expense/life insurance organizations are recruiting heavily among immigrant and bilingual agents, including Asian Americans.
• eXp Realty—Rapid growth across Asian American real estate agents and broker teams.
• Keller Williams—Their top markets (e.g., Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City) include a high concentration of Asian American agents.
• PHP Agency—Growing fast among Southeast Asian communities.
• Premier Financial Alliance—Extremely strong in the Chinese American community; led by many Chinese field leaders.
• Primerica—Diverse field, with a growing contingent of Asian American agents.
• World Financial Group (WFG)—Possibly the strongest Asian American presence in the financial sector. Many top earners are Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Vietnamese Americans.

Multicultural Direct Sales & Hybrid Models

These brands have momentum within US Asian communities due to tech savviness, digital recruitment or multilingual platforms.

• ACN—Long-standing appeal among Korean and Vietnamese Americans in telecom and energy verticals.
• Ambit—Strong energy sales model that appeals to Vietnamese and Korean Americans in deregulated markets like Texas and New York.
• LegalShield/PPLSI—Targets immigrant communities for legal access, including Chinese, Korean and Filipino Americans.
• Nefful—Niche but extremely devoted Taiwanese and Chinese American following.
• Partner.Co—Emerged from ARIIX, which had a deep Asian leadership base.
• PM-International—Globally diverse with impressive US Asian field leaders.
• Rain International—Holistic and seed-based wellness resonates with Korean and Chinese Americans.
• Riman—Korean skincare company with deep roots in Korean American communities.

Companies with Emerging or Moderate Asian American Engagement

These companies may not be dominant yet but are worth watching.

• FASTer Way to Fat Loss—More influencer-driven and social-media-centric, potentially growing in Asian American fitness circles.
• inGroup—Cruises and travel services may appeal to Filipino and Vietnamese agents.
• Thrivent—Christian-based financial services; small but growing Asian American reach.
• Travorium—Digital travel club, moderate visibility among younger Asian audiences.

Making the Most of the Moment

As the channel continues to struggle to find growth and relevance in an evolving marketplace, DSN believes that more companies within the industry could benefit from growing their presence in the Asian American community. This is a massive, hard-working demographic that believes in entrepreneurship and values community ties and personal connection. When cultures align, growth most certainly can follow.

If your company has a strong Asian American or Asian community and you have insights you’d like to share, please reach out to editor@directsellingnews.com.

Purchasing Power and Prowess

Asian Americans exhibit significant spending power in both the health/wellness and beauty/cosmetics sectors, often surpassing other demographic groups in per capita expenditures. Here’s a breakdown based on the most recent data.

Beauty & Personal Care Spending

• Asian Americans spent approximately $3.4 billion online on beauty and personal care products in the most recent reporting year.
• The average Asian American consumer spent $218 online on beauty and personal care products, which is $38 more than the national average of $180 per buyer.
• Online beauty and personal care spending among Asian Americans grew by 21.4%,
• Asian American consumers show particularly high engagement in categories like facial skincare, fragrance and hand/body lotion.
• The US wellness economy is valued at over $2 trillion, with Asian Americans contributing significantly due to their higher median incomes and health-conscious lifestyles.

(Sources: NielsenIQ, Statista, Athletech News)

An Online Exclusive from Direct Selling News magazine.