The Direct Selling Association helped kick off the 19th Annual TODAY Show Holiday Toy and Gift Drive recently by presenting the direct selling industry’s donation live in Rockefeller Plaza.

What would it take to grow your company to 10 times its size? That’s the challenge British direct seller Kleeneze has given itself. And it aims to do it in the next 10 years.

From the presidential election to the now famous “fiscal cliff,” the last quarter of 2012 brought with it plenty of political positioning and fancy rhetoric. Amidst all of it, though, one thing remained certain: Small businesses, often seen as the “backbone” of the U.S. economy, would play an important role in a post-recession America.

On balance, it appears that the direct selling business model continues to hold up well despite the continued difficult global macroeconomic conditions. In a period where nominal GDP growth is stuck in the low- to mid-single digits in the U.S. and in the mid- to high-single digits globally, many of the larger, publicly traded direct sellers are continuing to post strong organic sales growth.

Oct. 19, 2012 marked a milestone for the Direct Sellers Association of Canada (DSA of Canada) as it held its’ inaugural “Celebrating Excellence in Direct Selling” Gala.

Hilary Hinton “Zig” Ziglar, the man of a million motivational maxims who bucked up and cheered on three generations of American business strivers over a 40-year international speaking career, died near his home in Plano, Texas, on Wednesday after a brief battle with pneumonia. He was 86.

Many companies sell products in the health and wellness area, and direct selling companies have led this category for many years.

Today’s direct selling world is a rapidly evolving landscape driven, in part, by the ever-accelerating progress of technology.

Univera carries on the legacy left by its founder by bringing the best of nature to the youngest of humankind.

The best candidate did not win. I still believe that. He had better ideas, would have brought a fresh approach to office, and would have been more moderate and sensitive to business concerns.

Avon Products Inc., AL International Inc., Blyth Inc., Educational Development Corp., Herbalife Ltd., Just Energy Group Inc., Medifast Inc., Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc., Nu Skin Enterprises, Primerica, Reliv International, Tupperware Brands, USANA Health Sciences

As a music lover, XANGO® Founder and Board Member Gordon Morton gets a big kick out of the fact that his company has lasted longer than the Beatles were together.