Social commerce is changing how people discover products; who they trust; where they buy; and how they monetize their influence. That represents a significant challenge to direct selling as we currently operate. But if we respond correctly, it may also represent one of our biggest opportunities in years.

A customer might discover a product in a creator’s video, watch comments fill with testimonials, search for reviews in ChatGPT, see another recommendation on Instagram and complete a purchase—all in a matter of minutes. What once required dozens of carefully orchestrated marketing touchpoints now happens in a single, continuous digital experience.

DSA’s responsibility is to ensure that direct selling is not legislated or regulated out of business. We are stewards of the business model our members have built, and we will continue protecting the independence at its foundation wherever laws and regulations are being shaped.

Consumers behave differently. Independent Beauty Consultants build businesses differently. Technology has changed how people discover products, form communities and decide which brands deserve their trust. That creates tension for every established company—not friction—tension. I’ve come to believe there’s an important difference between the two. Friction resists progress. Tension creates the pressure that makes transformation possible. Like diamonds, strong brands are formed under pressure—not by avoiding it, but by learning how to work within it.

As part of this year’s DSU Europe event, I was privileged to co-host the DSA Associations Summit with my counterparts from France, the United Kingdom and the US. We dubbed it the “Grand Slam Workshop,” an apt name for an afternoon that brought together approximately 30 DSA CEOs and Association board members from across the globe.

The opportunity for direct selling is not to compete with technology, but to double down on what technology cannot replace. The future belongs to companies that combine innovation with authentic leadership, using new tools to strengthen relationships instead of allowing those tools to replace them.