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We often talk about the flexible hours, sense of empowerment and opportunity to create better lives for themselves and their families enjoyed by direct sellers. Particularly, we mean the 12.2 million women in the U.S. who operated their own independent direct selling businesses in 2011, contributing to the industry’s $29.87 billion in retail sales. However, it’s important to remember that women are transforming the industry not only in the field, but in executive leadership positions—as CEOs, executive vice presidents, directors, managers and general counsels.

Representing just a small sample of today’s female pioneers in the direct sales channel, more than 20 founders, CEOs and top executives from a variety of direct selling companies gathered in Washington, D.C., for DSA’s second Women’s Leadership Retreat on Sept. 11-12, 2012. These women not only met with one another to share their compelling stories, but to also take part in the association’s Direct Selling Day on the Hill, providing Members of Congress with a unique, female perspective on the industry.

As DSA and company executives work to educate the public about the contributions direct sellers make to the U.S. and global economies, it’s never been more important for women to utilize these opportunities to assert their roles as leaders of this transformative industry.

Women comprise a majority of today’s direct selling salesforce—more than 80 percent—and those women who have started or are in top positions at direct selling companies have a very visible and important role in helping to illustrate the wide range of opportunities available in this sales channel. By taking on these top-level positions, women serve as role models for the countless mothers, wives, students, young professionals and retirees who have fulfilled their dreams of being their own boss, of having their own business and of maintaining a schedule that allows them to balance personal and career aspirations.

In today’s economic climate it’s more important than ever that women are recognized as key drivers of the economy who can fulfill many roles simultaneously. Thanks to the example set by the female CEOs who joined us in Washington, D.C., for the Women’s Leadership Retreat, many Members of Congress and their staffs got a first-hand look at the power of the direct sales channel to change lives—directly and indirectly.

It is through outreach initiatives such as these that direct selling will come to be appropriately credited as an indispensable element of a healthy economy. Thanks to the unyielding efforts of many of today’s female direct selling executives, women are increasingly willing and able to serve as active participants in national discussions on the role that free enterprise plays in the economic recovery process.

It is often said that the spirit of entrepreneurialism is crucial to the future growth of the U.S. economy. Recognizing that they serve as the representatives of more than 12 million female entrepreneurs in the U.S., today’s leading women in direct selling provide a critical resource for those looking to launch their own careers in the channel. They selflessly give of their time to remind key policymakers about the importance of protecting an industry that fulfills such a vital role in the national economy. They provide countless inspiring stories about how this industry helps shape the lives of women—and men—across the country, many of whom have been directly impacted by job cuts, education costs and loan payments. They influence individuals of all backgrounds to pursue their greatest business goals, no matter their stage in life.

As I sat in meetings on Capitol Hill last week and listened to these incredible direct selling women tell their stories it was a refreshing reminder that no matter how much technology evolves or society changes, the entrepreneurial spirit is always alive and well. Whether leading a company or pursuing far more modest goals, every woman involved in direct selling has an amazing story, and we will all be well served to make sure those stories are told, whenever and wherever possible.

Amy M. Robinson is the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the U.S. DSA.

Fortune has placed Sheri McCoy, Avon’s new CEO taking over from Andrea Jung, at No. 17 on its 2012 list of “50 Most Powerful Women”. This is McCoy’s 5th consecutive year to earn a spot on the list. Fortune has been producing its “50 Most Powerful Women” for 15 years. Criteria for the list includes: the size and importance of the woman’s business in the global economy, the health and direction of the business, the arc of the woman’s career—résumé and runway ahead—as well as societal and cultural influence.

McCoy left Johnson & Johnson this past April to take on the role of CEO at Avon.

She is among some of the most brilliant and well respected women in business representing companies like Google, Zerox, HP, Fidelity, P&G, Disney, Yahoo, IBM, PepsiCo and more.

The entire list and details can be found here.

Last week, direct selling industry giant Herbalife made a groundbreaking announcement. They reported their second quarter net sales of $1 billion, which is a 23 percent increase over the prior year. The net income they reported reflected an increase of 20 percent over the prior year.

The news of this record setting achievement answers critics of Herbalife, who have spent a good part of the last few years criticizing the company’s practices and its relationship to the direct selling industry.

In the announcement, Herbalife’s Chairman and CEO Michael O. Johnson said, “The broad strength of our business success continued throughout the second quarter with strong sales performance from each of our six regions, along with record earnings and strong cash flow. We believe the underlying drivers of our current business success, engaged distributors focused on globalizing daily consumption sales methods and products which are relevant for today’s global macro trends of obesity and an aging population, will continue to provide the catalyst for future growth.”

More information about Herbalife Investor Relations can be found at http://ir.herbalife.com/

Oriflame, one of the largest beauty companies in the world, recently announced a partnership with Hollywood superstar Demi Moore for a line of branded cosmetics and accessories.

Direct from the report on their corporate website, “Oriflame is happy to announce the collaboration with Hollywood star Demi Moore. Demi is a highly sought after actresses and style icon around the world. Her undeniable beauty has made her an inspiration for women today. She is the embodiment of a strong successful woman that others can aspire to and be inspired by; the perfect fit for Oriflame.

More by Demi is one of the brand’s most premium collections and will consist of a selection of exquisite make-up, delicate fragrances and elegant accessories and jewellery, all tailor made for the modern woman.”

Oriflame, founded in Sweden in 1967 is one of the direct selling industry’s largest companies. They are represented in more than 60 countries and have more than 3.5 million consultants.

More on the Oriflame/Demi partnership can be read on the Oriflame corporate website.

Over the last week, several companies hosted their conferences, meetings and annual conventions with record attendance and great impact on local economies.

BusinessWire.com reported that Ambit Energy, No. 1 “Fastest Growing Private Company” on the prestigious Inc. 500 list for 2010 and national retail energy leader, held its 6th Annual Conference, “Ambition 2012: Take Charge.” More than 9,000 Independent Consultants representing 32 states from Alaska to New York filled both the Hilton Anatole and the American Airlines Center over a span of five days starting on August 29.

The article also stated that “This conference created an estimated $10,000,000 in economic impact for the City of Dallas in terms of lodging, transportation, food and entertainment. The company has also recently signed an agreement with the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau to host the annual event in Dallas for the next three years.”

Other notable events this past week included Vollara’s annual convention in Dallas; The Limu Company, which has been experiencing exponential growth hosted their largest group ever in New Orleans; and Mona Vie also electrified its field with marquee speakers like John Maxwell this past weekend.

For years, experts have agreed that meetings and conventions help spark direct sales businesses.  Conventions give distributors a chance to connect personally and business-wise, sharing best practices, tips and tools for success. Conventions also help companies further define themselves by launching new products, tools and bonuses.

Ambit used their event to announce new markets, major recognition and some very high profile giveaways:

• Pennsylvania Expansion to include Met Ed, Penelec, Penn Power and West Penn Power for Residential and Small Commercial coming in January 2013
• Illinois Expansion to include Southern Illinois, Ameren Electric, Residential and Small Commercial coming November 2012
• New Market – Chicago Gas – Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Residential and Small Commercial coming September 2012
• New Market – California – California Gas, Pacific Gas and Electric Gas, Residential and Small Commercial coming September 2012
• Recognized three $5 million earners and twelve $1 million earners
• And multiple door prizes estimated at $100,000, which included: a new Harley Davidson motorcycle, a new Cadillac XTS, multiple iPads and more than $25,000 in cash awards.

To read the entire article about Ambit on BusinessWire.com, please visit: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120906006682/en/Ambit-Energy-Hosts-9000-6th-Annual-Conference

The drop in August’s unemployment rate isn’t particularly good news for the economy—it’s driven mostly by nearly 400,000 people dropping out of the labor force, rather than more people finding jobs.

But those dropping out aren’t so much the discouraged 30-, 40- or 50-year-olds. In fact, the Labor Department said there was a modest decline in the overall number of discouraged job seekers.

The drop is because so many young adults—ages 16 to 24—are no longer looking for work.

There were 453,000 fewer young adults with jobs in August than in July. But despite that plunge, only 27,000 more young people were looking for new jobs. Most apparently stopped looking and left the labor force.

As a result, the percentage of young people who are counted in the labor force fell to its lowest level since 1955. And the unemployment rate for young adults rose to 16.8 percent from 16.4 percent in July.

We are seeing a slow increase in the number of young adults—especially in the 18-25 age group—who migrate towards direct selling opportunities. What we’ve found is that working for themselves provides a level of freedom that this generation is accustomed to, having grown up with technology and information just a click away. While buzz words like “work-from-home” and “network marketing” are not necessarily attractive to Gen Yers, “schedule flexibility,” “personal business scalability” and “creative social networking” are very attractive to this generation. Once direct selling companies embrace some of the key sought after attributes of the Gen Y crowd in their business strategy and representation, we will surely see an increase of this trend out of the job market into the personal business “work for myself” realm.

More on this topic can be found here.

Every year FORTUNE Magazine posts its annual list of movers and shakers, called the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Companies.

It’s easy to understand why companies like Apple and Cirrus Logic are leaders on this prestigious list. Looking down the list we found something great for the direct selling industry—recognition of Medifast as No. 46 on the list. Medifast is a manufacturer and provider of clinically proven, portion-controlled weight-loss products and programs and parent to Take Shape for Life. According to FORTUNE’s report, over a 3-year average Medifast realized 40 percent revenue growth, 59 percent profit growth and a 20 percent total return. For fiscal year 2011, revenue increased by 16 percent to $298.2 million over the previous year.

To qualify, a company—domestic or foreign—must be trading on a major U.S. stock exchange; report data in U.S. dollars; file quarterly reports with the SEC; have a minimum market capitalization of $250 million and a stock price of at least $5 on June 29, 2012; and have been trading continuously since June 30, 2009. Companies must have revenue and net income of at least $50 million and $10 million, respectively, for the four quarters ended on or before April 30, 2012; and have posted an annualized growth in revenue and earnings per share of at least 20 percent annually over the three years ended on or before April 30, 2012.

Companies that meet these criteria are ranked by revenue growth rate; EPS growth rate; and three-year annualized total return for the period ended June 29, 2012. (To compute the revenue and EPS growth rates, FORTUNE uses a trailing four quarters log linear least square regression fit.)

The overall rank is based on the sum of the three ranks. Once the 100 companies are identified, they are then re-ranked within the 100, using the three equally weighted variables. If there is a tie, the company with the larger four-quarter revenue receives the higher rank.

Excluded are real estate investment trusts, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, business development companies, closed end investment firms, companies about to be acquired, and companies that lost money in the quarter ended on or before April 30, 2012. In addition, FORTUNE excludes companies that have announced intentions to restate previously reported financial data, if these errors appear to have a significant impact. Also, FORTUNE excludes companies that lost money in the quarter ended May 31 or June 30, if the loss represents a deterioration in business conditions. The data are provided by Zacks Investment Research. The data process was aided by information provided by S&P Capital IQ, Hoover’s; Thomson Reuters, and Morningstar Document Research.

Congratulations to our friends at Medifast!

See the entire list and details on each of the companies here.

Two of the world’s largest and most well-respected Direct Sales beauty product companies are investing in expansion in India.

Mary Kay India announced the opening of its new office in Ludhiana. The company said they wanted to establish a presence throughout the entire country over the next two years and plans to invest $20 million in the country over the next five years.

Avon India is planning to invest $8 million to build a second manufacturing plant in the country. The new plant will be built over the next three years and will be in addition to the plant the company has in Dehradun with an annual production capacity of 50 million units.

India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Over the past decade, the gross domestic product (GDP) and per capita income has grown at an average annual rate of 7 percent and 5 percent, respectively. By 2015, with a projected GDP of $2.18 trillion, India is expected to be the 11th largest economy in terms of GDP based on the market exchange rate and the fourth largest in terms of purchasing power parity. In 2007, India was ranked the 12th largest consumer market in the world and it is expected to be the fifth largest consumer market by 2025 after the United States, Japan, China and the United Kingdom.

According to the Indian Direct Selling Association, the number of direct sellers in India has almost doubled between 2004 and 2009. In terms of the number of direct sellers, India ranked 11th among the top direct selling countries in 2009-2010.

For more about Direct Selling in India, click here.

Michael R. Ellison, CEO and Founder of TriVita Inc. announced today that final documents were executed to officially merge Amazon Herb Company (AHC) with TriVita, a 13-year-old international wellness company based in Scottsdale, Ariz. AHC was founded in 1990 by John Easterling to help the world recognize the health benefits of Amazon Rainforest botanicals, and now Easterling and his wife, four-time Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Olivia Newton-John, will continue to work directly with TriVita post-merger to advance the company’s wellness mission offering a full spectrum of quality natural health products and skincare formulas to consumers around the world.

“ ‘Amazon John’ and Olivia have a genuine passion for wellness and the sustainability of the rainforest. They will join TriVita’s mission of taking wellness to the world as we develop a worldwide community of wellness seekers,” says TriVita’s CEO and Founder Michael R. Ellison. “This merger will be the most advantageous way to promote TriVita’s mission, vision, values and goals.”

Having spent the last 22 years in the Amazon Rainforest and building AHC, Easterling was looking for the perfect company with which to ally. “I made a personal commitment to our leadership to find a dynamic partner that appreciates our Rainforest products and is genuinely sincere about our Rainforest mission,” he says. “Michael Ellison is a man of integrity and purpose whose vision is to help people experience wellness.” Moving forward, Easterling will create new product formulas for use in TriVita’s global media efforts. 

Newton-John is also eager to share her excitement about the merger. “John and Michael are two great visionaries who have dedicated their lives to making a real difference in the lives of others,” she says. “I am absolutely thrilled to see the synergy created by these two great companies.” Newton-John will also be featured alongside her husband in TriVita’s international multi-media advertising designed to expand the company’s global wellness mission by leveraging the power of media. “The power of media has obviously had a profound impact on my career,” she adds. “I have also experienced the power of Amazon Herb products developed by John to sustain my health and energy as I traveled worldwide. I believe joining with TriVita is going to give John and me the opportunity to share our story through both traditional and online media.”

Founded in 1999, TriVita is a member of the DSA and now distributes superior-quality wellness products to 14 countries worldwide with regional corporate offices in Sydney, Australia; Hong Kong and Vancouver, Canada. TriVita’s flagship product, Nopalea, is an anti-inflammatory wellness drink made from the fruit of the Nopal cactus found in the Sonoran Desert in the United States. TriVita expanded into 10 new countries in 2011 and was recognized this year as No. 70 on DSN’s Global 100 list of the top direct-selling companies in the world.

More information on TriVita can be found on their website at www.trivita.com.

The Direct Selling industry is growing in Poland. Recent reports showed an increase of 1.3 percent year over year in 2011 to €585.4m. Cosmetics and personal-care products accounted for 69 percent of the revenues of companies affiliated with the Direct Selling Association of Poland (PSSB). The year before this the category held 70 percent while a European Union average in 2010 stood at 38 percent. The second-largest value share in the Polish direct sales market was household appliances, which generated 13.4 percent of the overall direct retail sales in the country, marking a 3.4 percent increase year over year. OTC medicines and dietary supplements accounted for 11.6 percent of direct sales in Poland in 2011 and grew at 3.1 percent on a yearly basis. Approximately 870,000 individuals were involved in direct sales in Poland last year, of which 88 percent are women.

Companies operating on the market employed about 1,497 people, and 96 percent of the revenues came from person to person sales. Companies on the direct sales market include Amway, Avon Cosmetics, Forever Living Products, Herbalife, Mary Kay Cosmetics and Oriflame. Poland is the fifth-largest direct sales market in Europe after France (€3.7bn), Germany (€2.7bn), Italy (€2.4bn), and Great Britain (€1.4bn).