In 2026 DSN readers should learn whether companies operating in the United States have the right to have legal claims brought against them by the federal government determined by courts, rather than through an administrative process designed and operated by the very federal government agency—such as the FTC—which brings the claims.

The indispensable cornerstones of direct selling. Listen to this story starting at 19:05 on the new, revamped The DSN Podcast. Even when your day is packed, we make it easy to stay informed, engaged and one step ahead. Listen now or read below! As an attorney who advises both executives and distributors, I’ve learned there is one thing the strongest companies in […]

Direct sales and MLM companies face an evolving landscape of legal and regulatory challenges that impact how they operate, recruit and promote their businesses. Notably, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) continues to modify its playbook in the aftermath of AMG Capital Mgmt., where the Supreme Court limited the commission’s enforcement resources. Below are three external threats companies may face in 2026.

Direct selling companies are facing a wave of lawsuits, primarily in California, claiming that distributors do not qualify as independent contractors and instead are misclassified employees. Just recently, however, a California court refused to certify a class on these claims—an important outcome for all direct sellers.

For most direct sales companies, the income disclosure statement (IDS) is the company’s most prominent—and public—presentation of its earnings opportunity. So, ensuring that your IDS reliably and accurately reflects the actual experience of a typical distributor, as borne out in your company’s business intelligence data, should be a top priority for every direct seller.

As recent events on the global trade front have reinforced for all of us, 2025 is moving fast and bringing high levels of change and uncertainty. To adapt, companies need all the tools at their disposal—especially power tools like mergers and acquisitions. This is particularly true for companies in the global and volatile direct selling industry. But like any power tool, merger and acquisition (M&A) strategies need to be wielded carefully.