Looking for a new position is full of starts and stops—here are three steps you must take to begin your search.
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In today’s transformational direct selling landscape, staying relevant isn’t just important—it’s crucial. If you’re an executive seeking your next leadership role, either where you are now or in the greater direct selling community, you need more than an impressive resume. You need to be visible, connected and forward thinking.
After 12 years in executive search specific to direct selling, and almost five decades in the channel itself, I’ve seen this consistent pattern: the executives who position themselves successfully for new opportunities commit to three core activities. When you’re serious about advancement, these are non-negotiables. Are you checking all these boxes?
Three Essential Career Building Activities
1 / Stay in Tune with Change in the Channel
Change? Buckle up—we ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Affiliate marketing, fresh takes on compensation models, breakthrough products, regulatory scrutiny and let’s not forget AI. It’s a lot.
You stand out as a desirable executive when you embrace change, pursue innovation and surround yourself with others who do the same.
Become enlightened by diving into trusted industry publications like Direct Selling News and others. Beyond simply reading, use these resources to develop your own point of view. What do you think about the trends? What strategies could you champion? Being able to articulate informed thoughts about the industry will set you apart in interviews and networking conversations. Bonus: these publications are treasure troves for discovering and making new executive connections, which leads us to point number two.
2 / Build and Activate Your Direct Selling Business Presence
LinkedIn is your executive brand platform, not just a career chronology. Too many executives treat their profiles as a static CV or barely use the platform at all. That’s a huge, missed opportunity.
To effectively leverage LinkedIn:
- Spend 15-30 minutes a day. That’s manageable and potentially impactful. Comment thoughtfully on posts; congratulate executives on new roles; and reshare content that resonates with your leadership approach.
- Your profile is a living capture of your accomplishments. Make sure your achievements, recent roles and a compelling summary are up to date. Use a warm and professional headshot, not a selfie snapped at a party or sporting event.
- Post or share something meaningful weekly. No need to become a content machine. Just be visible: share an article; write a few sentences of insight about a trend; or even repost industry news with your brief take. Keep it short, lively and authentic.
- Connect strategically. Reach out to the executives, authors, advertisers and contributors mentioned in the publications you’re reading. Send them a connection request with a personal note of compliment or appreciation.
- Consider crafting a personal catchphrase. Rather than the generic “I’d like to add you to my network,” create a short, specific message when sending connection requests—one that highlights your core strengths or passions.
And this is a must…when someone accepts your invitation to connect—respond! A genuine “thank you” can be a real conversation starter.
Know that the hiring market for senior executives often moves through relationships and reputation more so than applications. Your LinkedIn activity helps you stay top of mind when opportunities emerge.
YOU are your own best advocate!
3 / Think Bolder by Aligning with Bold Thinkers
If you want to play a leading role in the future of direct selling, you need to align with the people shaping that future.
Seek out industry thought leaders whose work challenges and expands your thinking. Two of my favorites:
- John T. Fleming—Author of Ultimate Gig and Leverage. John’s perspective on the evolving gig economy and its impact on direct selling is required reading and a powerful tool for executive recalibration.
- Brett Duncan—His work, It’s Time to Do a New Thing, is one of the most insightful (and inciteful) discussions of where the direct selling model is headed. Brett challenges the old frameworks and pushes for meaningful innovation.
Reading and engaging with their work and other bold thinkers ensure you are not just clinging to what was, you are prepared to lead in what will be.
And to meet those bold thinkers…“Good grief! Get out of the house!” Virtual connection is crucial. However, there’s no substitute for in-person events, human energy and education. Attend direct selling events. Identify and pursue bold-thinking colleagues for lively, relevant conversations where you can contribute and learn. When you get home, send each colleague you spoke with a note of thanks! Often, it’s the relationships you nurture before you need them that make all the difference when opportunity knocks.
Get Involved in the Conversation
Landing your next executive role in direct selling isn’t a passive process. It demands deliberate positioning, daily action and future-focused thinking. By dialing into change, activating your presence and aligning with bold thinkers, you’ll not only open more doors—you’ll walk through them prepared to thrive. It bears repeating—YOU are your own best advocate!
Now in her fifth decade of service to the direct selling community, Kate Gardener is a highly respected and trusted advisor to companies around the world. Her experience and expertise are now focused on resourcing talented people via C3 Executive Search as well as selected consulting projects. As a seasoned and successful direct selling executive, Kate has the unique perspective of a thought leader who can illuminate the future of direct selling with unique insights and staffing options.
From the July/August 2025 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.
