brand-logo
Subscribe

Recap: The Future of Commerce Deep Dive 2025

by

Trends, takeaways and top tips from our recent deep dive event.

At DSN’s Future of Commerce Deep Dive—held November 19 in Lehi, Utah—we addressed commerce as a whole—the complete ecosystem of technology, payments, finance, taxes, logistics and products working together. Because for commerce to truly thrive, every one of these components must evolve in harmony.

​Interactive and tactical by design, the event featured live Q&As and open discussions—creating a true workshop environment where attendees engaged with speakers, asked questions and connected with peers navigating the same challenges.

​The future of commerce isn’t about one platform or one solution. It’s about bringing all these elements together to create lasting success. Here are some highlights from the presentations.

The event kicked off with a presentation from DSN’s Founder and CEO Stuart Johnson. He emphasized DSN’s ongoing commitment to elevating industry journalism, expanding education and promoting innovation across the channel.

Johnson then set the stage for a day focused on real-world insights into ecommerce transformation, acknowledging both the ambition within the channel and the hard truths surrounding current digital capabilities. He outlined the challenges companies face when implementing mainstream platforms like Shopify, citing complex requirements such as replicated sites, attribution models and compliance hurdles. He explained that the event featuring voices from technology partners, major direct selling brands and AI innovators, was designed to foster candid conversations about what’s working, what isn’t, and how companies can realistically navigate their next digital migration or modernization journey.

In his presentation, It Works! President and COO Peter Griscom offered a candid assessment of the ecommerce landscape in direct selling, emphasizing the widening gap between current industry capabilities and the demands of modern digital commerce. He outlined the persistent challenges posed by replicated sites, attribution and complex commission structures—features that mainstream platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce weren’t designed to support. Still, Griscom noted that Shopify’s robust ecosystem, advanced AI tools and seamless checkout capabilities can meaningfully improve customer experience when companies understand the necessary trade-offs.

Griscom stressed that the next era of commerce will shift away from traditional websites and toward AI-driven shopping embedded directly within platforms consumers already use—TikTok, WhatsApp, ChatGPT, Gemini and more. He warned that brands not preparing their product data and content to be discoverable by large language models risk becoming “invisible” as transactions increasingly move into agent-led environments. Over the next 12–36 months, he expects explosive growth in conversational, personalized commerce where AI curates products and manages transactions. Companies that modernize now—optimizing for AI discovery, enabling off-site purchasing and structuring for predictive personalization—will gain a decisive advantage, while those who wait may struggle to stay competitive.

Sean Smith, Chief Executive Officer of InfoTrax, highlighted how rapidly evolving commerce and AI technologies are reshaping direct selling and emphasized the urgency for companies to modernize their ecommerce strategies. He revisited earlier predictions about the industry’s technological lag and illustrated how AI-driven product discovery, shifting consumer behaviors and next-generation platforms now demand faster adaptation than ever before. Smith outlined the challenges companies face—particularly around attribution, international payments, promotions and recurring orders—and underscored the need to adopt class-leading ecommerce systems like Shopify or BigCommerce to meet modern consumer expectations. He was joined by Angi Hawthorne, Chief Operating Officer of Activz, who shared practical insights from their recent BigCommerce implementation, demonstrating how updated shopping experiences, flexible enrollment paths and integrated promotions can drive distributor satisfaction and prepare organizations for an AI-enabled future.

Colt Passey, Founder and CEO of Gobi Insights, urged direct selling companies to rethink how they evaluate and implement modern commerce solutions, stressing that true “commerce” extends far beyond ecommerce to include payments, taxes, operations and logistics. He emphasized that while platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce offer advantages, they are not cure-alls—nor are they built with the complexities of direct selling in mind. Passey warned against following industry trends blindly or assuming these platforms will increase sales, noting that improper evaluation leads to costly surprises, delays and lost functionality. Instead, he encouraged companies to rigorously define what they are solving for, involve all departments in decision-making, assess real costs and operational impacts and ensure vendors can meet the company’s unique requirements. Ultimately, Passey advocated for a more disciplined, strategic and business-driven approach to selecting and deploying commerce technology.

Connor Hester, Chief Executive Officer of ShapeTech Solutions, outlined the accelerating complexity of ecommerce in direct selling and explained why many companies are turning to platforms like Shopify to meet rising customer expectations. Drawing on his experience implementing systems across dozens of organizations, Hester emphasized that Shopify’s strength lies in its massive app ecosystem, rapid innovation and ability to support multi-channel commerce—but he also underscored the platform’s limitations, particularly around promotions, subscriptions and payments. He walked through which direct selling requirements Shopify can handle easily; which require customization; and which represent major roadblocks, stressing that no platform is a silver bullet. ShapeTech partners with ShopIQ as a Shopify systems integrator, helping customize the process. Ultimately, Hester urged companies to evaluate ecommerce strategically by defining their goals, understanding the true long-term costs, and ensuring their chosen solution can evolve with emerging trends such as AI-driven discovery, cross-channel shopping, and increasingly sophisticated customer expectations.

Blake Mallen, President of Pro2col and Chief Strategy Officer of Herbalife, shared candid insights on how emerging technologies—especially AI, hyper-personalization and social commerce—are fundamentally reshaping consumer expectations and forcing direct selling companies to modernize at unprecedented speed. Mallen emphasized that today’s customers demand frictionless, one-click, intuitive buying experiences across every channel. And he argued that platforms like Amazon and Shopify have already conditioned consumers to expect this standard everywhere. While acknowledging the complexity of applying mainstream tech solutions to the nuanced world of direct selling, he underscored his belief that the channel’s true competitive advantage remains human connection and community—an asset that will only become more valuable as the world grows more automated and AI-driven. This balance between cutting-edge technology and relationship-centered experiences, he suggested, must guide the channel’s evolution.


Mallen then detailed the rapid digital transformation underway at Herbalife and Protocol, including their move to Shopify and the development of a highly personalized, distributor-driven funnel builder built on top of the platform with the help of ShopIQ and ShapeTech. In just a few months, the company onboarded 7,000 distributors into a new Shopify-powered experience; processed over $1 million in inaugural sales; and began rolling out tools that allow distributors to create individualized sites, customized product bundles and tailored marketing flows aligned directly with their conversations on social platforms. He showcased new capabilities such as personalized wellness assessments, automated offer pages, brandable landing sites and seamless Shopify checkout—all designed to match the evolving behaviors of both consumers and field leaders. Mallen framed this moment as an inflection point like past industry disruptions: early attempts fail; internal innovators adapt the technology; and eventually a scalable model emerges. Herbalife, he said, is now deep into that adaptation phase, already expanding its Shopify ecosystem across North America and preparing its next major rollout in Europe as part of a fast-moving global commerce transformation.

Michael McClellan, Enterprise Global Ecommerce at Worldpay, outlined the key trends rapidly reshaping the payments landscape and emphasized how AI, real-time processing and emerging “agentic commerce” are transforming both customer expectations and merchant requirements. He highlighted how false declines now cost businesses more than fraud, making authorization optimization—through AI-driven smart routing, enriched issuer data and real-time logic—critical to protecting revenue. McClellan also introduced new capabilities such as direct issuer integrations that cut suspected fraud in half, FedNow-powered instant bank payments, and next-generation checkout tools like Stupefi that enable one-click, card-on-file purchasing across brands. Looking ahead, he stressed that agent-led shopping via platforms like ChatGPT will soon become as essential as adopting the internet was two decades ago, making it vital for direct selling companies to ensure their product data is readable, discoverable and ready for AI-driven purchasing journeys.

Gaya Samarasingha, Chief Marketing Officer at Young Living and Chief Executive Officer of Wyld Notes, shared a candid and deeply informed look at her multi-year journey implementing Shopify across both a startup brand and a major global direct selling organization. She described how her initial move to Shopify in 2021—driven by the need for measurable digital marketing and the limitations of traditional MLM technology—ultimately saved her self-funded skincare company during the pandemic. That experience shaped her belief that modern ecommerce capabilities, such as seamless checkout, abandoned-cart flows and better customer tracking, are essential for today’s distributors who often sell through social media and rely on digital conversions. When Young Living later approached her to test Shopify and help launch a new natural fragrance line, she proposed building an affiliate-friendly sister brand, Wyld Notes, to experiment with omni-channel strategies and measure real-world impact. The result: a scalable Shopify-powered ecosystem that now brings in a steadily increasing flow of new customers—30 percent of whom are entirely new to both Wyld Notes and Young Living.

Samarasingha explained that success with Shopify comes not from the platform alone but from the strategy, tech stack and change management behind it. Wyld Notes became a rapid-learning laboratory, helping Young Living understand how a modern, consumer-grade digital experience can support both top-of-funnel customer acquisition and long-term distributor growth. Now leading marketing for Young Living as the company prepares to implement Shopify on a global scale, she emphasized the need for realistic expectations, careful partner and app selection, simplification of outdated business rules and strong communication to guide teams and legacy leaders through transition. Shopify, she stressed, is not a magic growth engine—but its agility, extensibility and ability to integrate best-in-class tools empowers companies to test faster, iterate more intelligently, and modernize the distributor and customer journey in ways legacy MLM platforms cannot.

Dreux Flaherty, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LPT, outlined how payment orchestration will define the future of commerce by giving companies a single integration point for multiple processors, fraud tools, payment methods and global routing solutions. She emphasized the critical importance of redundancy—highlighting that LPT remained fully operational during recent AWS, Cloudflare and ASR outages—and explained how fragmented payment stacks routinely cost businesses 5–10 percent in lost revenue. Flaherty detailed how orchestration enables smart routing, embedded finance, cross-border optimization and AI-driven fraud protection, all of which improve authorization rates and reduce cost. She also pointed to major shifts already underway, including social commerce, conversational checkout, real-time payments and rising consumer demand for frictionless one-click transactions. Her central message: resilience, intelligence and embedded integration are now the three pillars companies must adopt to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving payments landscape.

Nick Martinez, President of Prüvit, reflected on his transition from building a massive social commerce brand—The Keto Dad—to helping lead Prüvit through its implementation of Shopify, a shift he believes would have dramatically accelerated his own customer acquisition journey had it existed earlier. Drawing from years of field experience, Martinez emphasized the importance of setting realistic expectations around Shopify, cautioning that while the platform provides a stronger foundation, faster checkout and significantly improved reliability, it does not replace the fundamental work of relationship-building and daily activity. He detailed Prüvit’s deliberate rollout strategy, beginning with small groups of top leaders to troubleshoot and optimize before expanding fieldwide and stressed the value of launching gradually to avoid overwhelming distributors accustomed to long-standing systems. Martinez also highlighted the need for a “hard cut” moment—anchored to a new product launch—to transition fully from the legacy site to Shopify without confusion.

In the second half of his presentation, Martinez underscored how critical expert partners have been in Prüvit’s successful migration, crediting teams such as ShopIQ and LPT for solving complexities; enabling global payments; and rapidly adapting the platform to Prüvit’s international footprint. He shared a real-world example of Shopify’s agility during a recent leadership event, where Prüvit was able to sell a not-yet-launched product exclusively to attendees, process commissions and provide seamless support—all within minutes, even with nontechnical staff. This, he noted, showcases the speed, flexibility and operational strength that Shopify brings to modern direct selling. With Shopify now functioning across more than 40 countries and supporting multiple currencies, Martinez sees this transition as just the beginning of Prüvit’s broader evolution toward a more scalable, frictionless digital commerce model.

Patrick Frith, Head of Cross-Border at Avalara, outlined the unprecedented volatility in global tariffs and explained why airtight compliance is now mission-critical for direct selling companies engaged in importing or exporting goods. He detailed how rapidly shifting US and international trade policies—reciprocal tariffs, the removal of de minimis thresholds and more than 600,000 tax and tariff changes this year—have disrupted supply chains, increased costs and caught many businesses off guard. Frith emphasized the four essentials companies must master to avoid penalties and price shocks: understanding each market’s de minimis rules; correctly identifying country of origin; applying accurate HS codes; and declaring proper values. He shared real-world examples of brands adapting through tariff engineering, reshoring and diversified sourcing. He also highlighted how calculating true landed cost at checkout can remove friction for global customers. Frith closed by noting that Avalara’s tools—including its duty and tax automation embedded in Shopify—help companies navigate compliance confidently amid a rapidly evolving trade landscape.

Neil Markey, Chief Information Officer at Juice Plus+, shared an in-depth look at the company’s aggressive seven-month digital transformation, which included replacing a 20-year legacy platform with Shopify as the ecommerce foundation alongside a new commissions engine, back office and business intelligence system. He explained that Juice Plus+ approached Shopify as a pure B2C platform—treating distributors, partners and customers the same at the front end—which required building extensive custom infrastructure behind the scenes, including a global back office, custom subscription engine, multi-store architecture across nine countries and integrations for diverse payment methods such as ACH and direct debit. Markey also highlighted the complexity of running a nonstandard four-month subscription cycle that no ecommerce platform supports natively; the need for a custom partner landing environment; and the initial challenges with attribution, multi-store product management, customer service actions and administrative controls. These early hurdles revealed how critical it is to architect the solution holistically rather than “drop Shopify in” and expect it to function like a direct selling platform.

In reflecting on strengths and weaknesses, Markey stressed that Shopify is an exceptional ecommerce platform—fast, modern, extensible and rich in promotional and app capabilities—but not built for direct sales, meaning companies must invest in engineering, customization and thoughtful program design. He identified the platform’s limitations around global currencies, SEPA and direct debit (still under development); restricted checkout customization; lack of built-in consultant tools like wallets or commission values; and increased integration complexity when operating multiple storefronts and warehouses. Markey’s key lessons: take more time than you think you need; avoid changing too many programs at once; select implementation partners who truly understand direct selling; build an integrated and intuitive consultant back office; and ensure ongoing investment after launch. He also emphasized that AI-driven commerce is quickly emerging, and while Shopify is a necessary foundation today, it is only one component of the broader digital ecosystem Juice Plus+ must prepare for in the coming years.

Gregg Corella, General Manager, Direct Selling at Ordergroove, drew on more than 30 years in direct selling to explain how “relationship commerce” is transforming traditional auto-ship into modern subscription experiences that drive higher retention, predictable revenue and stronger distributor performance. He emphasized that growth now depends less on constant customer acquisition and more on keeping subscribers engaged through flexible, self-serve tools—such as skip, pause, swap and personalized win-back flows—that dramatically reduce churn. Corella highlighted the power of incentives like subscriber-only perks and prepaid subscriptions, which can increase subscription revenue by up to 40 percent and boost retention by more than 60 percent. He described how a well-integrated subscription ecosystem becomes a flywheel: easy management leads to loyal customers, which leads to recurring commissions and stable distributor volume. Corella also warned against common pitfalls—rigid autoship models, siloed tech stacks, and poor visibility into churn—and stressed that the future of subscription commerce will be shaped by AI-driven personalization and automation that deliver “one-size-fits-me” experiences across every channel.

Invaluable Insights. Actionable Takeaways.

DSN’s Future of Ecommerce event proved to be an exceptionally productive and insight-rich gathering, bringing together leading technology partners, industry executives and forward-thinking practitioners for a comprehensive, candid examination of the evolving commerce landscape. Rather than focusing on ecommerce in isolation, the event explored the entire ecosystem—payments, logistics, subscriptions, data, compliance, AI and infrastructure—and how these components must work in harmony for modern direct selling companies to compete.

Across the day’s presentations, one message consistently emerged: the future of commerce requires both modernization and intentionality. Speakers shared hard-earned lessons about implementing platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce; preparing product data for AI-driven discovery; redesigning subscription models to boost retention; orchestrating payments for resilience and efficiency; navigating skyrocketing tariffs; and aligning technology with distributor and customer behavior. The result was a rare, 360-degree view of the opportunities and obstacles shaping the next era of digital commerce.

Join us Wednesday, May 6 at the Young Living Headquarters in Lehi, Utah. Registration is FREE!

The Power of a Founder’s Vision: Arbonne Turns 45

by

Listen to this story starting at 11:56 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!

Founded | 1980

Headquarters | Irvine, CA

Top Executives | Jennifer Orlando / CEO
Bernadette Chala | Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel
Tina McCrea | Chief Field Officer

Product Category | Personal Care, Health & Wellness

When I dreamt of Arbonne, I wanted it to be a place where people could flourish. Arbonne founder Petter Mørck saw a future where the power of nature could inspire not only exceptional products but make a profound difference in the lives of everyone who used them. Petter’s vision has been fully realized in the company he built and in the hearts of the Arbonne consultants who share his passion for nature and vibrant, responsible living. As the company marks its 45th year, Arbonne is enjoying the spirit of innovation that has been a constant all along, bringing the best of nature and science to customers around the world.

A Legacy to Celebrate

It’s been a year of milestones at Arbonne, as the company looks back on its 45-year history and how its commitment to the intersection of science and nature has shaped a beautiful and impactful legacy. Arbonne’s theme for 2025 was innovation, but for those familiar with Arbonne, they’d say innovation has always been its north star.

Jennifer Orlando, Chief Executive Officer

From Petter’s decision to forge a new path towards safer, cleaner personal care products and Arbonne’s longstanding commitment to healthy living to the company’s latest scientific breakthroughs, innovation is simply a way of life.

“We know what a milestone it is for a direct selling company to reach the 45-year mark,” shared Jennifer Orlando, Chief Executive Officer. “We respect the past while staying focused on the future as we lead the way in innovation, technology, science, wellness and sustainability to help our customers achieve even better results.”

Arbonne’s Annual Global Training Conference held this year in Las Vegas was an exciting opportunity for the Arbonne team to celebrate the company’s anniversary, its community of leaders and consistent, purpose-driven growth.

Jennifer took the stage and spoke about Arbonne’s history of partnering with talented direct sellers, and she shared photos of Stian Mørck, Petter’s son and Arbonne’s Brand Ambassdor and other legacy leaders when they joined the company. Connecting its origins to the present and future, Jennifer announced that one of Arbonne’s current top leaders was born in 1992. Laughter and applause broke out across the event space, as many of the leaders in attendance were building businesses when this younger leader was born.

Tina McCrea, Chief Field Officer, shared, “We’ve come so far in terms of our sales leaders—as much as we invest in them, they invest in us. And their success is our success. We have always believed that Arbonne has the best sales field in the industry, and that was made clear once again at our conference in Las Vegas. Arbonne has always led from the front in terms of investing in our sales field to empower them to be their best.”

Arbonne is celebrating this special anniversary throughout the year, including a special focus on nature, just as Petter would have chosen. During the company’s Global Day of Caring and Nature Academy event in October, all employees were encouraged to spend the day in nature, immersing themselves in outdoor experiences organized by Arbonne.

Plant-Powered Potential

Petter Mørck believed in the power of nature—not just for its purity, but for its potential. He was convinced that plant-based ingredients could be both incredibly effective and inherently sustainable and that this was the key to a better state of living. His vision was to create skincare and nutrition products that harnessed this strength of nature to support long, vibrant and responsible living.

His vision has been more than realized at Arbonne, home to nature-inspired collections of skin, body and hair care, and nutrition products sold through an enthusiastic field of Arbonne Independent Consultants working across six international markets.

Today, Arbonne has evolved to reflect the modern needs of consumers everywhere, while staying true to Petter’s vision and values. From its ingredient policy focusing on safe, effective, vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO formulations to its 30 Days to Healthy Living Program that has served millions since launching in 2013, Arbonne continues to be at the forefront of science and nature.

This summer, the company announced a new line of breakthrough products—HerCore Essentials, a line of supplements designed for women at every life stage, crafted with clinically studied ingredients to meet real, everyday health needs.

The Arbonne opportunity has been attractive to prospective entrepreneurs for decades, consistently aligned with Petter’s vision of a place where “people could flourish.” Today’s Arbonne leaders view building a business as more than just an opportunity to earn but also an opportunity to thrive.

“We take a holistic view of what it means to be an Arbonne Independent Consultant. It’s about being a whole person, pushing yourself to be the best person you know you’re capable of being,” explained Jennifer. “It’s an opportunity to be your best self in terms of developing leadership skills and public speaking skills. It’s about investing in yourself as a person and becoming a leader. We think our field does that the best; many of our field leaders are recognized as the best in the industry with loyal customers who have used Arbonne products and followed them for decades.”

Arbonne Independent Consultants often see themselves in Petter’s dream to work at the intersection of science and nature and his desire to do good in the world. The company has been B-Corporation (B-Corp) certified since 2019 and recently completed a recertification process that is required every three years. Arbonne has shifted the conversation about what it means to be a company that gives back by investing through the communities it serves, in addition to the work championed by its charitable foundation. Arbonne is also committed to giving back to the direct selling community, supporting the channel through advocacy and influence.

As Bernadette Chala, Chief Legal Officer, explained, “It’s important to protect our company and sales force and advocate for their businesses with our elected officials. We need to remain vigilant in the current regulatory environment. We must preserve this channel as one of the best opportunities that any industry has to offer as a path to entrepreneurship, and we need to be mindful of how many independent workers there are globally—and the positive impact they have in our local communities.”

A New Era for Arbonne

Arbonne will close out its 45th anniversary in a big way, as the company moves into its new corporate headquarters—a beautiful, modern, high-rise space—in the heart of Orange County, California in January 2026.

While 2026 will hold a new theme for Arbonne, the current flow of innovation never stops and neither does its commitment to remaining an empowering place for Independent Consultants and corporate team members to call home. With new scientific breakthroughs in development for 2026, 2027 and beyond, Arbonne will continue to push boundaries, innovate and improve quality of life—just as it has since 1980.

“We’re going to continue to push and to innovate,” shared Jennifer. “We’re very excited to see what the next 45 years will bring. We have more initiatives and launches on the horizon. We’re just getting started!”

From the November/December 2025 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

DSA Hosts Legal + Regulatory Conference

by

The Direct Selling Association (DSA) will host its annual Legal + Regulatory Conference beginning December 9th through the 11th. The DSA’s lobbying for H.R. 3495, a direct selling-specific bill called the Direct Seller and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act, successfully advanced out of committee earlier this year, a significant legislative victory for the channel.

Now, the DSA says the bill’s advancement, coupled with key states moving forward with proposals that could reshape the channel, have created “a pivotal moment for legal leaders, policymakers and compliance teams.”

“H.R. 3495 has brought new attention to independent work, and opponents are already lining up,” said Dave Grimaldi, DSA Chief Executive Officer. “Pair that with fast-moving proposals in several states, and it’s clear why this conference has become a strategic command center. Our job is to stay ahead of what’s coming, strengthen our presence with policymakers and make sure the real experiences of direct sellers drive the conversation.”

The DSA pointed to the bipartisan group of elected officials participating in this year’s conference as a reflection of this “heightened environment.” These officials include:

  • Ryan Chamberlin (FL-24) – Florida House of Representatives; Florida Direct Selling Coalition
  • Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC-06) – Assistant Democratic Leader
  • Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) – Member, Direct Selling Caucus
  • Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-09) – Co-Chair, Direct Selling Caucus
  • Rep. Kevin Kiley (CA-03) – Lead Sponsor, H.R. 3495
  • Rep. Blake Moore (UT-01) – Direct Selling Caucus
  • Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) – Direct Selling Caucus; House Education & Workforce; Co-Sponsor, H.R. 3495
  • Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09) – Co-Chair, Direct Selling Caucus
  • Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-05) – Chairman, House Education & Workforce; Co-Sponsor, H.R. 3495

The conference is expected to focus on four key themes that span the categories of Federal, State, Reputation and Narrative Risk, and Legal Preparation and Compliance Priorities.

Vorwerk Introduces AI-Powered Cooking Companion

by

Vorwerk announced the debut of the Cookidoo Assistant, an AI-supported cooking companion that infuses purposeful, everyday intelligence into guided cooking. Cookidoo marks the first AI capability within the Thermomix ecosystem and is part of the Thermomix TM7 digital evolution, providing more than 100,000 success-guaranteed recipes from all over the world and access to a global community.

Vorwerk described Cookidoo like a personal, everyday sous-chef that helps users find, compare and organize recipes more intuitively. The Cookidoo Assistant was designed to shrink time spent searching, while discovering how to use the ingredients already in your fridge and pantry. The result is confident, mindful cooking that reduces food waste. “In short,” Vorwerk wrote in a statement, “it brings even more orientation, ease and inspiration to daily cooking routines.”

“With the launch of the Thermomix TM7 in the first half of 2025, we made a clear promise: to open the door to meaningful AI features that truly enhance everyday cooking,” said Dr. Thomas Stoffmehl, Vorwerk Speaker of the Executive Board. “Today, I am proud that we are delivering on that promise. The Cookidoo Assistant is a milestone for modern cooking: intelligent, intuitive and developed to make cooking even easier, fun and inspirational. We are the first company in our category to bring such an AI feature to life, and my sincere thanks go to our development teams for making this vision a reality.”

The Cookidoo Assistant was borne out of conversations and interactions with its global community of advisors, customers and employees and designed to address the expectations and real-life needs of the everyday cook.

Vorwerk stated that the Cookidoo Assistant is now available in an Early Access Phase tested in seven European Vorwerk countries, and that broader availability will depend on evaluation and insights gained. Additional rollouts will happen in phases, launching first in Germany.

“This step-by-step introduction reflects our mindset as a direct sales company,” Stoffmehl said. “It is part of our responsibility to deliver the highest possible quality by combining innovation with real-world feedback before making a new capability available to a wider audience.”

Bravenly Announces Largest Revenue Month in Company History

by

Bravenly Global announced that November 2025 was its largest revenue month to date. This revenue milestone reflects the company’s consistent pattern of growth, which was reported at +3,009% across the last three years by the Inc. 5000.

This year’s Black Friday event brought in almost 2,000 new customers and brand partners and garnered more than $3.6 million in sales in just 24 hours. Of its total consumer base, customers continue to make up more than 80% of purchases.

“What we saw in November was the result of steady, purposeful growth from the most incredible field leaders I’ve ever had the privilege of partnering with,” said Aspen Emry, Bravenly Global Founder & CEO. “They are principled, committed, caring and help one another. They lead and serve their customers and their teams relentlessly – with heart, grit and an unstoppable attitude. Our Black Friday weekend was fun, fantastic, and layered on excitement, but the foundation and culture we’ve been building together was laid long before.”

The company will celebrate its fifth anniversary this month with more than 500 Bravenly representatives onboard the Utopia of the Seas, the second-largest luxury cruise ship in the world.

“From health transformations to creating financial ‘breathing room’ to newfound confidence and community, these are the real purpose of Bravenly,” Emry said. “The impact happens in both the big milestones and the small, quiet wins behind the scenes, and we’re humbled and grateful every day for the families and inspirational stories that make this mission matter.”

The company’s revenue is on track to double again, growing from $50 million in 2024 to $100 million in 2025.

USANA Partners with Jamaican Bobsled Team

by

USANA Health Sciences, Inc. announced it has extended its partnership of the Jamaican Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (JBSF) for two additional Olympic cycles. Through this partnership, USANA will continue to provide nutritional products to support the team’s training and performance and the USANA logo will be featured on the team’s bobsled, helmets and racing suits.

“At the highest level, every detail matters,” said Todd Hays, Jamaica Bobsled team head coach. “The rigors of the sport demand not only relentless training and mental resilience, but also precise, science-backed nutrition. It’s the fuel that powers peak performance, accelerates recovery and gives athletes the edge when it matters most.”

USANA’s sponsorship of the Jamaican Bobsled Team began in early 2024 and the JBSF earned its first-ever gold medal at an international event last month at the North American Cup in Whistler, Canada.

“I am beyond excited to see our partnership with the JBSF extended,” said Brent Neidig, USANA Chief Commercial Officer. “This collaboration reflects USANA’s commitment to supporting dedicated, high-performing athletes across all disciplines. The JBSF exemplifies perseverance, discipline and a drive for excellence—values that align closely with our own. We are proud to provide the team with the trusted nutrition they need as they prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games, and we look forward to supporting their continued success in the years ahead.”

Direct Selling Companies Make a Difference on GivingTuesday and Beyond

by

The direct selling channel made a powerful impact during this year’s GivingTuesday, an annual event that fosters a global generosity movement to drive positive change through charitable giving on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving,

The Juice Plus+ Company and its philanthropic arm, The Juice Plus+ Foundation, continued its long-standing partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend. Juice Plus+ has partnered with St. Jude for more than two decades, raising funds to advance pediatric research and treatment, as well as the promise that parents will never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food.

“We believe health is built not just in the body, but in the community,” said Gina Ghura, Juice Plus+ Chief Marketing Officer. “Being part of the St. Jude Marathon Weekend for over two decades is an honor and together, we run for hope, for breakthroughs, and for every child who deserves a chance. I look forward to running alongside my colleagues and the greater community as we raise both funds and awareness.”

Herbalife, through its Herbalife Family Foundation, awarded $5 million in grants through its Casa Herbalife Program to more than 165 nonprofit organizations across 60 countries and territories. This funding will expand access to nutritious meals, educational resources and safe, supportive environments for at-risk and underserved children and families around the world.

“We believe every person deserves the opportunity to thrive and build a better future,” said Rob Levy, Herbalife Family Foundation board member and Herbalife president. “We are inspired by our distributor community and employees who come together year after year to act upon that belief and create lasting impact in communities around the world.”

dōTERRA announced that it will be donating $20 for every purchase of its essential oil blend Together Touch, available for a limited-time. Donations will support the dōTERRA Healing Hands Foundation, which funds initiatives that support health, education and crisis-relief around the world.

“Giving Tuesday is a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together,” said Misty Bond, dōTERRA Vice President of Corporate Relations and Philanthropy. “Together Touch allows every customer to join us in creating real, measurable impact. Each bottle purchased becomes part of a collective effort to strengthen communities and transform lives through dōTERRA Healing Hands projects.”

Sunrider International celebrated its fifth consecutive year of partnership with Engage Now Africa (ENA) to support the organization’s mission to heal, rescue and lift communities in need across Africa. Sunrider’s financial support of ENA has been critical to its integrated malnutrition program in Sierra Leone, where vulnerable children and mothers receive life-saving nutritional support and education.

“Every child deserves the chance to grow strong and flourish,” said Sunny Beutler, Sunrider International CEO. “Malnutrition isn’t just a health crisis—it is both a cause and a consequence of poverty. Through our partnership with Engage Now Africa, we’re empowering women and children to build healthier, stronger futures.” 

Preliminary Direct Selling Momentum Services Company Index Released

by

Direct Selling News is excited to unveil its preliminary list of direct selling services companies that have experienced at least 20%—or a minimum of $200mmm—revenue growth year-over-year. This year’s Direct Selling Momentum Index highlights services companies with more than $100 million in annual revenue whose sales patterns show significant growth amid what has been a challenging market landscape. These companies alone represent more than $2 billion in growth for 2025. 

This year’s rankings include:

  • Epique Realty
  • eXp Realty
  • Family First Life
  • inGroup/inCruises
  • Keller Williams Realty
  • LPT Realty
  • PHP Agency
  • PPLSI/LegalShield
  • Primerica
  • Real Brokerage
  • Realty of America
  • Think Energy
  • World Financial Group

This list is constantly evolving. If you believe your company should be included in our final 2025 Services Momentum Index, please contact Patricia White, pwhite@directsellingnews.com.

The Equity Revolution

by

How ownership is rewriting the future of direct selling.

The story of direct selling has always been a story about participation—first through commissions, then through bonuses and overrides, and eventually through team building and leadership. But a new chapter is unfolding across the channel today, one that reflects the economic realities of modern entrepreneurship and the rising expectations of an independent workforce. We are entering what I call the equity revolution: a shift from rewarding contribution with short-term earnings to rewarding contribution with long-term ownership.

This moment did not appear suddenly. It grew out of several converging forces reshaping the global workplace. Independent work is expanding faster than traditional employment. The gig economy reset expectations around flexibility. Younger generations increasingly value purpose-driven participation. And across industries, employees and contractors alike are asking a simple but profound question: If I am contributing to the growth of this company, why shouldn’t I share in the value of what I am building?

insta_photos/shutterstock.com

Equity answers that question. And importantly, it answers it in a way that rewards aligned behavior, not just activity. Ownership fosters trust because the company’s success and the field’s success become inseparable. It strengthens culture by creating a shared stake in long-term outcomes. It improves retention because people don’t walk away from value they are vested in. It elevates performance because individuals can see—and measure—the wealth they are creating as the company grows. Most of all, it transforms distributors from participants into partners, shifting their mindset from short-term earnings to long-term wealth.

Across the channel, companies that introduce equity initiatives consistently report the same benefits: a more inclusive culture, a deeper sense of contribution, improved field performance, higher retention through vesting, greater continuity of tribal knowledge and a powerful alignment between personal effort and enterprise value. These forces create what I’ve always believed is the highest potential of direct selling: recurring value, recurring revenue and recurring wealth.

This revolution began in real estate, spread through financial services and is now entering product companies in exciting new ways. Together, these three sectors illustrate the future of the channel.

Real Estate: The Blueprint of the Equity Revolution

The modern equity movement in field-driven business began long before anyone used the term. In 1983, Gary Keller introduced a radical idea at Keller Williams: what if real estate agents shared in the office profits they helped create? That early profit-sharing model reframed the brokerage not as a hierarchy, but as a collaborative ecosystem where the growth of one contributed to the wealth of many. The market responded. Over the next four decades, Keller Williams paid out billions of dollars in profit share, demonstrating that shared success could also be sustained success.

But the true breakthrough came when cloud-based models removed the cost structures that limited what a brokerage could share. Without the burden of physical offices, companies could redirect enormous value back to the field. And no one recognized or acted on that opportunity faster—or more decisively—than Glenn Sanford at eXp Realty.

As Founder and CEO, Sanford rewired the traditional brokerage model by replacing profit sharing with revenue sharing, allowing agents to benefit from gross commission income, independent of office profitability. At the same time, he introduced something even more disruptive: equity ownership for every agent who contributed to the company’s growth.

“I always wanted to be an owner when I was an agent, but no one offered it,” Sanford said. “So, when we built eXp, ownership had to be part of the experience—not reserved for executives, but accessible to the people who were out there building the business every day.”

This simple idea became the catalyst for one of the most explosive growth stories in the history of residential real estate, culminating in eXp’s spot at #3 on the DSN Global 100 List with $4.6 billion in revenue for 2024.

WHYFRAME/shutterstock.com

The Power of Equity + Revenue Share

eXp’s agents could now earn stock for their first closing; for capping; for attracting additional agents; and for participating in the company’s cultural events. Top producers could earn back their entire annual cap in the form of equity. And agents could voluntarily take a portion of their commissions in stock at a discount, allowing them to accumulate meaningful ownership over time.

As Sanford explained, “We created the first model where the field could build real wealth, not just real income. Some agents didn’t even realize how much equity they had until they opened their accounts. It was life changing.”

The results spoke loudly. Participation surged. Agent count grew from under 1,000 to tens of thousands worldwide. Revenue increased year after year. Agents began sharing stories of equity portfolios that helped them overcome health challenges, fund children’s education or secure financial independence. eXp became the fastest-growing brokerage in the world, fueled not by office count or franchise expansion, but by the wealth it was helping its agents create.

The model was so effective that the rest of the sector followed. Real Brokerage, LPT Realty, Epique Realty, Realty of America, ENRG Realty and Call It Closed Realty all adopted variations of revenue sharing, equity awards or pre-public ownership opportunities. They recognized that stock-based incentives were no longer a novelty—they were a necessity for attracting and retaining talent in a competitive marketplace.

In fact, eXp and the companies that have emulated its cloud-based, revenue-sharing, equity-based model represent an incredible $10 billion in revenue for the year—a milestone they have accomplished in a little more than 10 years.

Real Brokerage is another remarkable success story in this space, second only to eXp and closely aligned with their model. At #13 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $1.26 billion, they are the expected to reach $2 billion in 2025—a phenomenal gain from 2024’s revenue numbers.

In a period where other companies are struggling to maintain or bounce back from losses, REAL Brokerage has grown an astonishing 10X in between 2021 and 2024.

Real estate has proven that equity works at scale. More importantly, it demonstrates that equity can fundamentally transform behavior, culture and commitment.

Financial Services: The Reinforcement and Expansion of the Model

If real estate provided the blueprint, financial services supplied the validation. With professional licensure, high lifetime customer value and naturally recurring transaction streams, financial services has long been a sector where ownership aligns naturally with performance.

Primerica, one of the largest and most respected field-driven financial companies in the world, illustrates what happens when a salesforce is given a genuine stake in the enterprise they help build.

As part of the IPO that separated Primerica from Citigroup in 2010, the company’s leadership understood that the success of the company—and the survival of its culture—would depend on whether the field felt included in the opportunity ahead.

As former Co-CEO John Addison shared, the transition out of Citigroup was a moment requiring unity, trust and shared belief. “We had been through rough and stormy seas. We weren’t going to say, ‘Great news—leadership gets rich, and you get nothing.’ If we were going to move forward as one team, the field had to go into the future as owners.”

To rebuild momentum after the financial crisis—when a major lending product disappeared overnight and the field saw years of accumulated savings evaporate—Primerica created a large-scale equity initiative. Thousands of top performers received stock grants at the IPO. Field leaders were given the opportunity to buy into the offering. And the company implemented quarterly equity qualifications tied to performance, growth and leadership.

The result was a psychological reset. People who had once feared financial ruin suddenly saw a path to shared prosperity. Addison revealed that many field leaders accumulated substantial ownership through these programs. “I ran into one Regional Vice President who said that ‘Just from the equity I’ve earned since we went public, I’ve got a few million dollars in Primerica stock.’ That’s long-term value created from long-term commitment.”

Addison emphasized that this was not a symbolic gesture—it was a structural choice that changed the culture. “Equity gave people hope again. It created a feeling of ‘We’re in this together.’ When you make decisions that benefit everybody—not just the executives—that’s when the team digs deeper and goes further.”

Interestingly, the program wasn’t built on restrictive handcuffs. Primerica made equity vesting fair but flexible, avoiding heavy contractual traps that could blur the line between independent contractor and employee. Addison stressed that the initiative worked because it rewarded contribution, not compliance.

Drazen Zigic/shutterstock.com

Today, Primerica remains one of the strongest examples of how equity can reshape a field-based financial organization. Its stock has increased 17X since the IPO in 2010, and its leaders continue to benefit both from their own book of business and from ownership in the larger enterprise. It is currently #7 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $3.07 billion.

As consolidation accelerates in the financial services sector—with major aggregators extending equity to acquired partners—the role of ownership in attracting and retaining talent will only increase. Equity is becoming the competitive advantage for companies that rely on professionalism, licensing and long-term client relationships.

Product Companies: Zinzino and the Hybridization of Value Creation

Equity participation has traditionally been rare in product companies. Most rely on commissions, bonuses and rank-based incentives. But as the expectations of the modern workforce evolve, so too are the compensation structures of product-centric direct selling companies.

Zinzino, publicly traded on the Nasdaq First North Premier market, is emerging as the most compelling example of equity’s entry into the product category. Its model allows top field leaders to earn or acquire ownership stakes—effectively merging the entrepreneurial spirit of direct selling with the wealth-building mechanics of a publicly traded enterprise.

Ørjan Sæle, Zinzino’s Co-Founder and CEO has been remarkably candid about why the company chose this path. “Inside a typical company, the whole game is rigged. If you’re not the CEO, you’ll never make what the CEO makes—and there can’t be three CEOs. Equity solves that. It gives people who build the business a chance to share in what they’re building.”

This philosophy is embedded in the company’s compensation structure. Leaders who hit key milestones can earn significant stock awards. Those who rise through the ranks can accumulate real ownership—tangible, measurable stakes that connect their efforts to the value of the enterprise.

In addition to equity, Zinzino centers its business on recurring customer revenue through subscription-based wellness products. The combination is powerful: strong consumer retention, predictable field earnings and the opportunity for leaders to build long-term wealth.

This hybrid model represents the future of product-driven direct selling. It acknowledges that while commissions drive activity, ownership drives legacy. Zinzino is #44 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $200 million. They are on track to do $350 million in 2025 and to possibly reach $500 million in 2026.

The accelerated growth is truly remarkable, having gone from $100 million in 2023 to a predicted $500 million in 2026—a 5X growth in just three years. Additionally, the stock has grown 6X in just the last two years.

The Future Belongs to Ownership-Driven Companies

Across real estate, financial services and product companies, the same pattern emerges:

  • Equity creates alignment between the field and the home office.
  • Equity drives retention through vesting and long-term value creation.
  • Equity strengthens culture by giving everyone a stake in what they are building.
  • Equity motivates performance more sustainably than short-term bonuses ever could.
  • Equity fosters partnership, turning representatives into owners.

In other words, equity transforms a direct selling organization from a compensation system into a wealth-building ecosystem. Equity may not replace cash compensation, but it is redefining what success looks like.

As Addison explained, “Shared success makes people dig deeper. When the field knows they are true stakeholders—not just participants—the whole organization rises. That’s what ownership does.”

Companies that embrace this shift will attract higher-caliber talent, retain leaders longer, build stronger cultures and unlock the true economic potential of field-driven businesses.

The equity revolution isn’t coming. It’s already here.

STUART JOHNSON, Founder & CEO, Direct Selling News, has served the direct selling industry for nearly 40 years. His passion for the channel encompasses a broader commitment to build and connect the direct selling community through exclusive industry events such as Direct Selling University and the DSN Global Celebration. Stuart is arguably the most connected person in direct selling. He has built an impressive and growing network of executives, thought leaders, strategists and innovators. His advice and counsel are sought after by leaders throughout the channel.

An Online Exclusive from Direct Selling News magazine.

Zinzino Releases Preliminary Revenue Report for November 2025

by

Zinzino reported its preliminary sales results for November 2025. Zinzino group revenue grew 45% overall year-over-year. Zinzino sales markets grew 49% year-over-year, reaching $39 million, while Faun Pharma’s external sales experienced decline.

Accumulated revenue from January 2025 to November 2025 increased by 54% year-over-year to $320 million.

The Asia-Pacific market, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, China, Philippines and South Korea, saw the strongest revenue momentum, growing 309% year-over-year. North America, which includes Canada, US and Mexico, was also a momentum driver, posting 174% growth year-over-year. Majority of its other markets, including the Nordics, Central Europe, South and West Europe, the Baltics and Africa also showed significant revenue growth year-over-year.

Preliminary Direct Selling Momentum Index Released

by

Direct Selling News is excited to unveil its preliminary list of direct selling product companies who have experienced at least 20% year-over-year growth, demonstrating true momentum either domestically or globally. This year’s Direct Selling Momentum Index highlights companies with more than $50 million in annual revenue whose sales patterns show significant growth amid what has been a challenging market landscape.  A service companies list will be released soon.

This year’s rankings include:

  • Bravenly Global
  • Beyond Beauty Club
  • EllieMD
  • Farmasi
  • Greenway Global
  • Immunotec
  • MAKE Wellness
  • MarketPlace Global
  • Neora
  • NewULife
  • Omnilife
  • Partner.Co
  • PM-International
  • Shaklee
  • Super Patch
  • Velovita
  • Vital Health
  • Zinzino

This list is constantly evolving. If you believe your company should be included in our final 2025 Momentum Index, please contact Patricia White, pwhite@directsellingnews.com.

eXp Realty Launches in Romania and the Netherlands

by

eXp Realty announced its continued expansion with the opening of operations in Romania and the Netherlands. These regions are what eXp Realty described as “key European markets” for the company as it builds toward its global 2030 vision. This international expansion is in addition to five other market launches in 2025, including Peru, Ecuador, Türkiye, South Korea and Japan, with expectations to launch in Luxembourg as well in the near future.

Each carefully selected market is part of a larger strategy by eXp Realty to propel global growth through specifically targeting agent-led environments where demand for innovation, mobility and ownership is rising.

“We’ve had real momentum this year,” said Felix Bravo, Managing Director, eXp Realty International. “eXp International brought in $104.6M in revenue through Q3, up 74% compared to the same period last year, and we’re seeing that energy show up in these expansions. Each of these markets tells a different story, but together, they signal where the industry is going. Agents are demanding more than commissions and training. They want mobility, scalability, ownership, global reach, and relevance. eXp is building the infrastructure and tools to lead where real estate is going next. That’s what these launches represent.”

The company reported that some of its 2025 launches have onboarded more than 100 agents within the first 30 days and hosted welcome events for 400-500 people, evidence, it believes, of its expanding influence and global network effect.

“These aren’t markets we had to convince, they came looking for a better way to build,” said Adam Day, International Expansion Leader, Europe. “That tells us everything we need to know. In each of these countries, we’ve partnered with people who understand their markets deeply and see how eXp’s model fits what agents actually need. That’s what sets this wave of expansion apart. We’re launching where there’s already demand, leadership, and alignment with how we operate. That’s why these countries are seeing real traction from day one.”