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Immunotec Conference Focuses on Unlimited Success

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Immunotec’s recent Latin American conference offered a glimpse of the company’s future for its Consultants, corporate team and stakeholders.

The “Conferencia Sin Limites 2019” (Unlimited Conference 2019) held at the Expo Santa Fe in Mexico City attracted 6,500 Independent Consultants, breaking the previous high of 2,670 set last year in Mexico.

“2018 was a year of rapid and dynamic change for Immunotec,” said CEO Mauricio Domenzain. “Our mission now is to focus on the specific things we need to do to create an exciting future. The theme of our conference was chosen to signify that we are now positioned to achieve unlimited success. We are not inspired to be the biggest company; what inspires us is to be the best. A core component of our philosophy is that even though we operate in eight countries, Immunotec is one big family, and we were thrilled to see so many people from across the Immunotec world express their happiness and enthusiasm for our vision and their commitment to their Immunotec businesses.”

One of the conference’s highlights was an appearance by internationally acclaimed author and motivational speaker, Chris Gardner, whose life was the subject of the Oscar-nominated 2006 movie The Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Smith.

Immunotec develops and manufactures research-driven nutritional products. The company markets and sells its products through its network of independent consultants in Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Ireland, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Two SimplyFun Games Selected for Mensa Mind Games Competition

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SimplyFun, LLC. has announced that its Zone to Zone and Nite Lights games have been selected as finalists to complete in the Mensa Mind Games®.

The competition will be held in April. Games selected by the American Mensa organization for the competition must have the following criteria: original and creative in concept, challenging to play, well-designed, a good value for the price, easy to comprehend and, above all, fun.

 Founded in 1990, American Mensa’s Mind Games has become one of the most respected national games competitions. The 40-plus-hour board-game-judging marathon draws 300 Mensans and their guests from across the country where they vote on the year’s five best new-to-market games to be awarded the coveted Mensa Select® seal.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by Mensa,” said Stacy Longstreet, SimplyFun head of product development. “Our goal is to always create fun, engaging and mind-challenging games. Being chosen as a finalist for not just one of our games but for two this year confirms we are succeeding.”

In 2017, SimplyFun won the coveted Mensa Select Seal for the complex strategy game, Amalgam.

Beautycounter Endorses Personal Care Products Safety Act

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Counter Brands, LLC., parent company of Beautycounter, announced it will endorse the Personal Care Products Safety Act.

The bill, introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), takes a significant step toward updating the current regulatory structure governing cosmetics and skin care products. It calls for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate the safety of ingredients used in beauty and personal care products, gives the agency the ability to recall harmful products from the market, promotes better transparency for consumers, requires companies to report adverse events related to their products to the FDA and provides the agency with the ability to review ingredients commonly used in personal care products.

“Over the past six years, Beautycounter’s mission has brought us to Washington DC and state legislatures across the country to build momentum for legislative reform of the beauty industry,” said Gregg Renfrew, Beautycounter’s founder & CEO. “That is why we are again proud to support the Personal Care Products Safety Act, a bill that prioritizes safety while helping businesses thrive. We applaud the continued leadership of Senators Feinstein and Collins to strengthen outdated regulations and protect public safety. Much more needs to be done to fully protect consumers and Beautycounter will fight to ensure that the most health protective law passes Congress.”

Despite its continuous growth, the $70 billion beauty industry in the United States has largely gone unregulated. The Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act of 1938 is the most recent major regulation adopted by the industry, which essentially allows personal care product companies to self-regulate. The Personal Care Products Safety Act would give the FDA more oversight to ensure product safety through a variety of mandates, including having to evaluate a minimum of five ingredients, or classes of ingredients, per year for safety; ordering recalls; and requiring complete ingredient information on labels.

“From shampoo and shaving cream to deodorant and make-up, every American comes into contact with personal care products every day,” said Senator Feinstein. “Families trust that these products are safe, but unfortunately many ingredients have never been independently evaluated. Our bipartisan legislation, which has the support of numerous companies and consumer advocacy groups, would modernize FDA’s oversight authority and give consumers confidence that everyday personal care products won’t harm their health.”

Beautycounter is mobilizing its base in support of the bill, including its clients and network of more than 40,000 Independent Consultants across all 50 states. To celebrate the bill introduction and the brand’s 6th anniversary, Beautycounter Consultants will be holding meetings with local members of Congress in their hometowns, urging them to support the Personal Care Products Safety Act.

A certified B Corporation, Beautycounter has been active on Capitol Hill since its founding in 2013, and launched the Counteract Coalition in 2017, a group of nearly 20 clean, high-performance beauty brands dedicated to advancing a safer cosmetics industry.

On Web’s 30th Birthday, Inventor Pens Open Letter

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The world wide web inventor Tim Berners-Lee is calling for a “fight” against hacking and abuse on its 30th birthday.

A CNN article by Rob Picheta reported that Berners-Lee has called for global efforts to tackle state-sponsored hacking, criminal behavior and abusive language on the internet, in an open letter marking the 30th anniversary of the revolutionary technology.

Tim Berners-Lee acknowledged that “many people feel afraid and unsure if the web is really a force for good,” in a letter published for his World Wide Web Foundation on Monday.

“While the web has created opportunity, given marginalized groups a voice, and made our daily lives easier, it has also created opportunity for scammers, given a voice to those who spread hatred, and made all kinds of crime easier to commit,” the letter added.

Berners-Lee, who has previously rallied for improvements to the technology, said the “fight for the web is one of the most important causes of our time.” He added: “You can’t just blame one government, one social network or the human spirit….To get this right, we will need to come together as a global web community.”

The computer scientist submitted his first proposal for an “information management system” on March 12, 1989, plans that his boss called “vague but exciting.”

Thirty years later, around half the world’s population is online, but tech giants that dominate the internet, including Google, Facebook and Twitter, have been criticized in recent years for failing to stem the spread of misinformation and harassment on their platforms.

Berners-Lee identified three major “sources of dysfunction” affecting the web: deliberate malicious intent, system design and unintended negative consequences of benevolent design.

The first, he said, resulted from issues like state-sponsored hacking and criminal behavior; the second from entities like ad-based revenue models “that commercially reward clickbait and the viral spread of misinformation”; and the last produced problems such as “the outraged and polarized tone and quality of online discourse.”

He urged governments, companies and citizens to “ensure the other half (of the world) are not left behind offline, and that everyone contributes to a web that drives equality, opportunity and creativity.”

Berners-Lee launched a campaign called “Contract for the Web” at the Web Summit tech conference in Lisbon, Portugal, last year.

More than 50 companies and organizations, including Facebook, Google and the French government have signed the contract, which will be published in full in May 2019.

Read the complete text of Berners-Lee’s letter here.

Herbalife Nutrition Foundation 25th Celebration Raises $1.5 Million

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Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Herbalife Nutrition Foundation (HNF) continues its mission to positively impact the lives of children, raising $1.5 million during its annual gala.

The annual fundraiser, held this year in Singapore, supports the Casa Herbalife Nutrition program, which was established in 2005 and currently serves more than 140 nonprofit partners and close to 100,000 children in over 50 countries.

“Thanks to the generosity of Herbalife Nutrition’s independent distributors and employees, the Herbalife Nutrition Foundation will continue to provide vital nutrition and support services to children who need it the most around the world,” said Herbalife Nutrition Foundation Executive Director Jenny Perez.

In 2018, the Foundation expanded its partnerships with local charities, opening seven new Casas in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and two in Vietnam. Furthermore, HNF announced it will commit an additional $1 million to expand its Casa Herbalife Nutrition program to more than 20 new community partners who provide access to good nutrition for children all over the world.

Last year, in addition to thousands of volunteer hours, HNF granted more than $3.5 million to Casa Herbalife Nutrition programs and disaster relief efforts around the world.

Chris Gobalakrishna Named WorldVentures CFO

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WorldVentures™ announced the appointment of Chris Gobalakrishna as its chief financial officer.

In his new role, Gobalakrishna will oversee strategic financial solutions, develop process improvements and ensure performance metrics are met.

“In Chris, we have found a talented servant leader who will enhance our executional excellence and who aligns with our commitment to serve our community of WorldVentures Representatives and DreamTrips Members around the world,” WorldVentures CEO Josh Paine said.

A 25-year finance veteran, Gobalakrishna began his career at BMG/Sony Music and has held leadership positions at multi-billion-dollar companies, including Tone It Up, Inc., Arista Records, Univision Digital, and a direct selling company. He has extensive experience in direct marketing, e-commerce, entertainment, technology and broad-based media.

“It’s an exciting venture, working with the team at WorldVentures, who are so passionate about impacting the well-being and quality of life of people around the world,” Gobalakrishna said. “Together we can secure a platform for growth so our community of Reps and DreamTrips Members can thrive and fulfill their vision for the future.”

U.S. Representative Richard Hudson Named New Co-Chair of Direct Selling Caucus

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United States Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC) is the new co-chair of the Congressional Direct Selling Caucus in the 116th Congress.

The caucus was established in 2015 as a bipartisan forum to build greater awareness about direct selling and policy issues relevant to the business. Representative Hudson will replace outgoing co-chair U.S. Representative Marcia Blackburn (R-TN), who was elected to the United States Senate in 2018. He joins Representative Marc Veasey (D-TX) in co-chairing the 40-member bipartisan caucus.

“The entrepreneurial spirit continues to fuel our modern economy as a growing number of Americans seek independent work,” said Rep. Hudson. “More than 18.6 million people are involved in direct selling, the majority of whom are women. As the new co-chair of the Congressional Direct Selling caucus, I’m pleased to be joining Rep. Veasey in reminding policy makers of the vitally important role that direct sellers play in both our local and national economies and the need to protect their ability to earn additional income for themselves and their families.”

“Rep. Hudson has been a supporter of direct selling in Congress for years and we are grateful he has decided to take a more active role,” said Joseph N. Mariano, president of the Direct Selling Association. “We are grateful to Senator Blackburn for her early leadership of the caucus and look forward to working with her in the United States Senate to support direct selling. The bipartisan support for direct selling is a testament to the millions of people involved in direct selling and the importance of protecting and supporting the growing number of Americans are seeking independent work opportunities.”

Mannatech Sales Down 1.8% for 2018

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Mannatech, Incorporated (NASDAQ: MTEX) announced financial results for its fourth quarter and full year ending December 31, 2018.

Fourth quarter net sales for 2018 were $44.0 million, a decrease of $2.3 million, or 5.0 percent, as compared to $46.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2017.

For the full year, overall net sales were $173,558,000 a decrease of $3.1 million, or 1.8 percent, for 2018, as compared to $176,696,000 in 2017.

The approximate number of new and continuing independent associate and preferred customer positions held by individuals in Mannatech’s network and associated with purchases of its packs or products as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 were approximately 200,000 and 215,000, respectively. Recruiting decreased 2.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2017. The number of new independent associate and preferred customer positions in the company’s network for the fourth quarter of 2018 was approximately 20,000 as compared to 21,000 in 2017.

To read the complete Mannatech report, click here.

USANA Named Top Rated Direct Selling Brand for Sixth Time

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USANA has been named the 2019 Top Rated Direct Selling Brand in ConsumerLab.com’s Survey of Vitamin and Supplement Users for the sixth time.

The award is based on customer satisfaction, with consumers more highly satisfied with USANA than with other direct selling brands.

“Consumer feedback is integral to the growth and relevancy of a company, so receiving this customer-based award is a huge win for USANA,” said Dan Macuga, USANA’s chief communications and marketing officer. “Our investment to continually create cutting-edge products, along with our recent enhancements to customer experience, has paid huge dividends for us and for the customer. 2019 will be another outstanding year for USANA and the future is looking very bright.”

ConsumerLab.com is an independent, third-party supplement testing company that provides consumers with product results, reviews, and ratings, along with vitamin, supplement, herb, and nutrition product comparisons. It surveys its readers annually regarding their use, choice and satisfaction with supplements.

For details about ConsumerLab.com’s customer survey, click here.

 

Nature’s Sunshine Up 10.3% in Q4 2018; Up 6.7% for Year

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Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: NATR) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2018.

 

For the fourth quarter, net sales of $97.4 million increased 10.3 percent compared to $88.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. The increase was primarily related to growth in Synergy Asia Pacific, NSP Russia, Central and Eastern Europe and NSP China offset by a $3.3 million decline in net sales in NSP Americas and a $0.8 million decline in Synergy Europe. 

 

“We concluded 2018 on a strong note, generating over 10 percent net sales growth during the fourth quarter,” said Terrence Moorehead, chief executive officer. “We are pleased with how our operations in China are developing and continue to invest ahead of the growth. NSP China net sales increased 60 percent during the fourth quarter and rose 46 percent for the full year. We also continue to have good momentum in Korea, the primary driver of the Synergy Asia region. As we progress in 2019, we are working to reinvigorate our NSP Americas region with multiple specific initiatives that support our strategic objectives to become more modern, more flexible and more profitable. We see further opportunity to generate growth and capture market share, while improving the profit profile of the organization with the ultimate goal of enhancing shareholder value.”

 

For the full-year 2018, net sales increased 6.7 percent to $364.8 million compared to $342.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2017. Growth was primarily related to continued growth in Synergy Asia Pacific, NSP Russia, Central and Eastern Europe and NSP China, offset by a $9.9 million decline in net sales in NSP Americas and a $3.2 million decline in Synergy Europe. 

 

To read the full Nature’s Sunshine financial report, click here.

Walsh, Neeley Promoted to Isagenix Senior Management Team

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Isagenix International recently announced two key promotions to strengthen its senior management team and help position the business for continued success.

Sharron Walsh has been promoted to president of International. Previously, she was senior vice president of International. Walsh has been with Isagenix since 2009. As president, she will work with general managers in each Isagenix market to ensure the company’s products and business opportunity fit the local culture while maintaining the Isagenix brand and core values. In addition, Walsh will oversee the corporate International team that is focused on business operations, finance, expansion and product education.

Stuart Neeley has been promoted to vice president of Finance and corporate controller. Previously, he was senior director, corporate controller. Neeley has been with Isagenix since 2016. In his new role, he will oversee accounting, financial planning and analysis, and payment processing while providing expertise and guidance to the executive leadership team to maintain the overall financial health of Isagenix.

“Sharron and Stuart are experts in their fields and tremendous assets to Isagenix,” said Isagenix Chief Executive Officer Travis Ogden. “Elevating them in the company allows us to enhance our global performance as we strive to transform 1 million lives this year. It’s exciting to consider how they will help shape the company’s future.”

New Survey Finds Amazon Top Destination for Purchasing Beauty Products

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Take note, direct sellers. A new survey reveals that Amazon is winning over beauty consumers in search of glamour, gorgeousness and great skin.

According to the findings of the Stella Rising Glimmer Report – Searching for Beauty, seven out of ten beauty shoppers (71%) say that Amazon is their top destination to purchase beauty products. Other popular digital destinations for beauty purchases include Ulta.com (54%), Sephora.com (54%), Walmart.com (47%) and Target.com (36%).

In addition to craving convenience—being able to shop any time of the day or night (61%) and the ability to find better prices online than in stores (50%)—beauty product purchasers are using digital destinations such as Amazon because they offer an end-to-end beauty shopping experience.

The survey finds, for example, that two-thirds (65%) of beauty shoppers use Amazon to search for their specific brand of beauty products, and a similar amount (63%) use Amazon to search for a category of beauty products such as makeup. In addition, one-quarter of respondents say they use the navigation bar to find their preferred brand and product.

“Digital destinations, especially Amazon, have changed the beauty experience for consumers,” said Andrea Van Dam, CEO of Stella Rising. “In addition to a wide variety of products and the convenience of services such as free shipping, consumers place a high value on the product reviews and the ability to easily and quickly comparison shop on these sites.”

According to the survey, 75 percent of respondents state they read product reviews; 60 percent read product descriptions; and 44 percent look at product pictures and visit various sites to comparison shop.

Among the survey’s key findings:

  • 41 percent of respondents are planning to spend more on beauty products this year compared to last year. Half (50%) are expected to spend roughly the same, with only 10 percent expected to spend less;
  • Among those planning to spend more, nearly three-quarters (72%) are trying to use a wider variety of products, and 60 percent are using beauty products more often;
  • Social media is the top source for learning about new beauty and personal care products (67%), followed by friends and family (50%); in-store browsing (48%); and online reviews (46%).

 Other findings included:

  • Friends and family (46%) remain the most trusted source for learning about new beauty and personal care products followed by social media (42%) and online reviews (38%).
  • Mobile devices (84%) are the most favored for researching beauty products followed by desktop/computer (51%) and iPad/tablets (37%).
  • Nearly half (48%) of beauty consumers research and buy on the same website, with 42% research and buying on different websites; three out of five (60%) of beauty consumers buy products on another website that offers lower shipping costs.

“The beauty industry, already disrupted by social media and the new DTC landscape, is more dynamic than ever,” says Van Dam. “This seismic shift in how consumers research, recommend and purchase beauty products has created a tremendous opportunity for independent as well as established beauty brands to connect with new generations of consumers. In an era where savvy brand marketers are using technology to help consumers monitor their personalized beauty and skincare needs, it is critical that brands as well as retailers understand how to effectively navigate the beauty and personal care digital landscape. Today’s consumer loves to have fun in the aisles of Ulta and Sephora but is probably checking her Amazon app at the same time.”

Stella Rising Glimmer Report – Searching for Beauty is based on a nationwide survey of over 2,500 consumers conducted in Q4 2018.