Entrepreneurs on the lookout for a sparkling business opportunity have a shiny new option now that Touchstone Crystal has brought coveted Swarovski crystals to direct selling.

Most people know Swarovski as the jewelry often seen on starlets such as Natalie Portman and Julianne Hough on the red carpet of the Academy Awards® or Golden Globes®. It’s a luxury brand, usually accessible only by the well-to-do who are lucky enough to live near one of the company’s retail stores.

Young Daniel Swarovski established the company in Austria in 1895 after he invented the first mechanical method for cutting and polishing crystal jewelry stones. He put it to immediate use in his father’s business, which previously had hand-cut crystal for the glass and fashion-jewelry industry. The company went on to build its portfolio and reputation with impeccable, high-end, exquisite-quality jewelry, figurines and stemware made of precision-cut crystal. In 1977 the company entered the fashion-jewelry market in the United States to the excitement of fashionistas all over the country. Its crystal creations sold in the upper end of the price range.

But then came the event that jewelry lovers were waiting for. Swarovski’s North American President Dan Cohen, the great-great-grandson of the founder, launched Touchstone Crystal, finally making Swarovski crystal jewelry accessible to many more Americans.

Swarovski continually looks for innovative methods to expose their stunning crystals to the public. They had already begun supplying crystal to some direct sellers, which had given them a peek into the industry. The company dipped its toe into the direct selling waters through a make-your-own jewelry venture.

But two years ago the company began integrating finished pieces into their DIY (Do-It-Yourself) in-home jewelry parties. The pilot showed them that the opportunity was great, and Touchstone Crystal introduced its first comprehensive finished jewelry line in January 2010. The company offers a dazzling collection of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, brooches and rings made with top-quality Swarovski crystal, zirconia, gems and pearls.

Wanted: Direct Selling Know-How

Swarovski started a search for a managing director with direct selling marketing, sales and operations experience. They found 25-year industry veteran Liz DiPaolo, now the company’s Managing Director.

“This business has given me the opportunity to combine my experience and passion for working with women in direct selling with an excellent brand that epitomizes quality, fashion and style,” DiPaolo says. “It was also an opportunity to develop a business from the ground floor. You don’t get that experience every day! Our goal is to take the beauty, luxury and style of Swarovski and make it accessible to women everywhere. We can do that because our products are priced within their reach, and our host plan makes it very possible for women to earn the products for free,” she explains. Some 46 percent of the Touchstone Crystal 2011 product line is priced under $50. Hosts can earn up to 30 percent of party sales in free merchandise credit, plus up to four items of their choice at half price.

Hosts and consultants come from a wide variety of women, ranging from young moms to seasoned, sophisticated women looking for a change in their lives, to career women who understand the business potential. DiPaolo says that the income potential is significant and the Swarovski brand opens doors. Most jewelry is sold at home parties, and consultants crave the sales volume and social environment that parties produce. But they have the flexibility to conform to their clients’ schedules and preferences or even their own lifestyles. A consultant who lives in a small apartment can literally run her business out of a tote bag and laptop. She can even show her wares and explain the business opportunity over lunch or at a coffee shop.

Bring on the Bling

The company estimates that consultants can earn $1,400 a month by holding two parties a week. Touchstone Crystal gets new consultants off to a strong start with a well-merchandised starter kit with two options. The enhanced starter kit contains more than $1,300 in products—each piece carefully chosen by Touchstone Crystal’s staff and top sales consultants—to help the new consultant effectively present the product line. Brochures, invitations, order forms and more are included. A stunning, fashion-oriented jewelry catalog supports other products and helps consultants and hosts show the full jewelry lineup and describe trends to customers. Training in the young company is still mostly one-to-one, from sponsor to recruit. And consultant care employees will happily spend as long as needed to explain any process. Extended hours make them available even in the evenings.

To help consultants get started, Touchstone Crystal offers several bonuses during the first three months of business. Appropriately, the bonuses are called BLING—Business Launch Incentive ’N Gifts program. It rewards a new consultant with special sales tools and bonuses for meeting or exceeding sales and recruiting targets during those crucial first three months.

Consultants immediately get their own website at no additional cost beyond the initial $199 starter kit fee. It lets them immediately organize parties, send invitations and generally get up and running quickly.

But a consultant’s most valuable tools are the show-stopping Swarovski crystals.

“They provide instant credibility,” says DiPaolo. “She can say to her friends, ‘I’m representing Touchstone Crystal, a member of the Swarovski group.’ We hear time and time again that the response is very positive because people know and associate Swarovski with such high quality. That credibility is unprecedented for a young company.”

And what woman doesn’t love jewelry? Touchstone Crystal organizes theirs into five different collections that appeal to their customers’ different style sensibilities: Romantic, Weekend, Resort, Little Black Dress® and City Style. Want to add “pop” to a casual outfit? Turn to the Weekend collection. Dressing for a special occasion? The Little Black Dress sterling silver and Zirconia collection has just what you need. Looking for something special to wear with your summer wardrobe? Check out the Resort collection. And every piece is designed especially for Touchstone Crystal around the unique stones and styles that Swarovski develops each year.

“They share all their new stones, colors and trends, and the inspiration for our jewelry comes from those stones and crystals,” DiPaolo explains. “We introduced 100 new products for January 2011. Of those, 80 to 85 percent were designed exclusively for us.”

A sixth special collection represents the company’s foundational principles that it calls Touchstones: love, care, connect, live, balance, accomplish and inspire. The company chose a color to represent each and includes a Touchstone charm with every order. It invites customers to wear their Touchstone charm as a daily inspiration to symbolize their wishes, hopes and dreams.

Cutting-Edge Crystals

All the crystals are displayed in unique jewelry developed by Touchstone Crystal’s own design team, which collaborates with the trend and style experts from the Swarovski parent company.

“We just had two people go to New York last week to see the 2012 Swarovski trend presentation,” DiPaolo says. “We will work with experienced jewelry designers on next year’s new pieces, using the trends that Swarovski identifies and the new stones they create. Designs at Touchstone are different than those from Swarovski in that we design products for our unique market. Touchstone has a distinct product line that doesn’t cross over with Swarovski’s retail collection.”

DiPaolo says that Swarovski’s heritage and their fashion expertise, combined with designs created specifically for the direct selling market, gives Touchstone Crystal the best of all worlds. Consultants recognize and appreciate the difference. And the formula is sparking sales and sponsorships.

“The appeal of our career plan is fueling excitement in our consultant base,” DiPaolo says. “We’re building a strong base because people recognize the opportunity for leadership income. We are developing leaders very quickly because they understand that this is a ground-floor opportunity where they can build a successful business.”

She observes that new consultant growth has doubled in a short time. The privately owned company doesn’t discuss specific numbers, but DiPaolo says that excellent sponsoring rates are fueling business growth.

“When people can join and within six to eight weeks start making substantial income consistently, they become committed and excited. Then when they become leaders, their income grows. That’s inspiring them to increase their sponsoring rate,” she says. “Even in these challenging times, people still love jewelry, love getting together and are interested in a product line that has the unique designs and quality that we offer.”

Fine-Tuning for the Future

DiPaolo plans to support the ongoing sales efforts of her consultants over the next few years through research that takes a close look at what customers want most.

“We want to better understand our target so we can create products that they’ll continue to love,” she says. “Our ability to continue offering unique, quality jewelry that is accessible to many women will be one of the keys to our success.”

With a background in both traditional corporations and experience in direct selling, DiPaolo has many insights into the differences between the two models. She feels fortunate to be leading a company that can make a difference in so many lives.

“At Touchstone Crystal, I not only have the opportunity to build a business with strong sales and profitability, but also to be surrounded by people who are growing and benefiting from our business every single day,” she says. “That personal pride that comes from helping others to achieve success, and developing strong relationships with your consultants and leaders, creates the real point of difference in your own level of satisfaction and business success.”

“Women make up half of the human resources available. … If that half is not being channeled into the economy and not being made part of decision-making processes, then economic potential is bound to suffer. As business leaders and policymakers seek to navigate their way through the current crisis, they need the talents of both women and men more than ever to come up with the best solutions.”
—Saadia Zahidi, Head, Women Leaders and Gender Parity Programme, World Economic Forum

Now is an important time to celebrate the accomplishments and advances made by women across America. It is also an opportunity for direct selling leaders to reflect on the growing economic buying power, the enduring leadership qualities and the marketplace significance of women. An extensive body of research shows that women make significant and proven contributions to business and economic growth.

› Women generate $5 trillion in buying power and account for 85 percent of all consumer purchases, including everything from vehicles to health care:

• 91% of new homes
• 66% of personal computers
• 92% of vacations
• 80% of healthcare decisions
• 85% of all new cars and trucks
• 89% of bank accounts
• 93% of all OTC pharmaceuticals

› Women have made significant strides in education—exceeding male undergraduate and graduate student attainment levels in most categories—and are awarded:

• 57% of all bachelor’s degrees
• 55% of all master’s degrees
• 50% of all law school degrees
• 42% of all medical degrees
• 42% of all Ph.D.s

› Women drive the entrepreneurial engine of America and, with $1.9 trillion in gross sales receipts, they are essential to business—as vendors, suppliers of your products and services and role models in the community.

They employ 18.5 million workers—more than the Fortune 500 combined.

They own 10.4 million companies in the United States, or 41 percent of all firms.

A woman opens a business in the United States every 30 seconds.

Yet, despite this compelling data, women are still nearly invisible at the senior management and board director levels of Fortune 500 companies and direct selling firms. This is particularly challenging, given that women account for more than 80 percent of all distributors within direct selling. Women of color are leading in even fewer numbers.

A Corporate View of Women and Leadership in Direct Selling

Women are well represented in entry- and mid-level positions in most companies; however, equality appears out of reach, given the low representation in senior executive roles. In fact, women have made strikingly little progress in advancing to the boardrooms and executive suites within corporate America.

Today, women account for 18 percent of top leaders in Fortune 500 companies, and make 78.7 cents for every dollar earned by a man—a wage gap that continues to increase with age. Based on a sample of the top 17 publicly traded direct selling companies in America, a similar picture emerges within the direct selling industry:

Among the top 17 publicly traded direct selling companies, only one has a woman CEO.

Women account for 14 percent of all board directors within the top 17 publicly traded direct selling firms; only 13 of the 95 directors are women; 50 percent had no women board directors in governance roles.

Among the top 17 publicly traded direct selling companies, women constitute 13 percent of executive management teams. This compares to 16 percent women executive management team representation among Fortune 500 corporations.

Women of color directors represent only 2 percent of all direct selling board members; they account for only 2 percent of executive management teams in the industry.

The Benefits of Women in Leadership

Companies with women and diversity in top leadership positions have a competitive advantage over those that do not. Research shows that companies with women in senior executive positions strengthen relationships with customers and shareholders, become more profitable and gain a competitive edge over those without women at the top.

Catalyst, a leading nonprofit research organization working to build support for inclusive workplace environments, reported that companies with the largest representation of women board directors and corporate officers achieve, on average, a 35 percent higher return on equity and 34 percent higher total return to shareholders than those with low representation numbers. The power of diversity yields statistically stronger results than homogeneous teams.

In addition to the quantifiable benefits of harnessing the power of women in senior leadership, there are qualitative benefits, as well:

According to the Harvard Business Review, women’s “transformative” leadership style—making institutions more transparent, accountable and ethical—is more effective in leading modern organizations than men’s traditional “transactional” approach.

Women demonstrate “risk smart” leadership—women tend to include diverse viewpoints in decision making, have a broader conception of public policy, complete objectives and bring disenfranchised communities to the table when making decisions.

Given the high incidence of women distributors and customers within direct selling, women in leadership provide both a personal and professional knowledge of how to connect with these audiences.

10 Things Direct Sellers Can Do Now to Leverage the Leadership Power of Women

1. Work Toward Increasing Women and Diversity in Your Employee and Distributor Teams.
   People with diverse ways of perceiving problems often devise better solutions for problems. Level 1 problems cannot be solved with Level 1 solutions; diversity provides a more dynamic and innovative approach to problem solving.
2. Send a Message from the Top.
   Companies that achieve the greatest change in gender diversity and inclusion are those who benefited from the personal commitment of the CEO.
3. Put More Women and Diverse Directors on Your Board.
   Board-ready women and diverse candidates are not difficult to find. A significant number serve in executive capacities in Fortune 1000 companies. Others run large nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and professional groups. Once engaged, your board will profit significantly from the experienced diverse voices of these leaders.
4. Rethink Human Resources.
   Corporate HR policies often, inadvertently, create environments where diverse candidates who are starting their careers are not retained, or do not grow, develop and flourish into experienced leaders. Simple but effective work environment policies, such as flexible work arrangements, can have a dramatic impact on allowing women and diverse employees to achieve greater work/ life balance, thereby leading to higher levels of productivity, enthusiasm and brand ambassadorship for the company.
5. Recruit with Diversity in Mind.
   Companies that make meaningful progress on training recruiters on the importance of diversity and/or who retain the services of diverse recruiting firms can make significant progress in creating a workforce that mirrors the marketplace.
6. Make Mentoring a Priority.
   Mentoring programs can be powerful tools to nurture and develop talent. Helping teams to navigate through the choppy waters of politics and complicated operating systems will encourage them to remain motivated and on task.
7. Retain Your Best Diverse Talent.
   Know what it takes to keep talented women, diverse candidates and distributors in your organization. Be flexible and create policies and programs that will address their needs. Oftentimes these programs (such as flexible work arrangements) are a benefit to all employees and not just to diverse candidates. 
8. Measure Your Results.
   When companies put goals in writing and track their results, things get done. Direct sellers need to know where they stand in relation to their distributor, employee and board representation, and create benchmarks to track the proportion of diversity growth in the organization. This would include tracking pay levels of women versus men in comparable positions, attrition rates by gender and the ratio of diverse populations promoted, relative to those who are eligible for promotion. 
9. Plan for Diversity.
   Succession planning is the best way to assure the optimal mix of backgrounds, experience, skills and perspectives on boards, management teams, employee ranks and distributor levels.
10. Move Beyond Tokenism.
    The best performers build a critical mass of leaders across all levels of the organization and distributor workforce—not just at the entry level but throughout all key decision-making ranks.

Women + Leadership = Success

Encouraging the retention, development and advancement of women leaders and women of color leaders within the management and director ranks of direct selling companies not only promotes fairness, but also delivers a strong financial advantage. The changing demographics of America, the accelerated demands of business today and the unique leadership qualities of women make them the competitive drivers of success for decades to come.

[Sources: The 85% Niche, Inforum, Catalyst, The White House Project: Benchmarking Women’s Leadership, M2W.biz and Groundbreakers Report]

Miriam Muléy is CEO and author of The 85% Niche (www.85percentniche.com). She is also Chair of the Direct Selling Women’s Alliance Diversity Center and President of the National Association of Business Women for Greater Detroit.

“Most people don’t yet realize just how cool coins really are, but we do,” says Kent, who coined the trademarked phrase, “Coins Are Cool.” Where did the slogan come from? Every time the team examined a new coin from one of the world mints, they couldn’t help but say, “Wow, these coins are cool!” That phrase stuck and has been the company tagline ever since.

“Whether you consider it cool or not, most likely you’ve collected a coin at some point in your life,” Kent says. And most of us have. Maybe you’ve kept some change from countries you have visited or coins given to you from your grandparents. We’ve all found a penny, picked it up and hoped that “all day long we’d have good luck.” Regardless of the day’s luck, you were at least a penny richer, which is the basic concept of coin collecting.

What Is Numismatics?

Numis Network took its name from the word numismatics. And if you’re unfamiliar with the term, numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money and the like. Raw precious metal, like a bar of silver or gold, is referred to as “bullion.” While collectible silver and gold coins are, in fact, bullion coins, they are also artfully decorated to represent a certain country, currency or historical event. The precious metal (silver and gold) content is what characteristically separates these collectible coins from common currency coins like lucky pennies, which are typically made of zinc and copper.

Ian Cordell’s collection includes an ancient Julius Caesar coin dating back to 50 B.C.

In the past, companies attempted to market ordinary bullion coins through network marketing; unfortunately, the value of the coin (which is a commodity) is predetermined based on a set market price. That makes the ordinary bullion coins more of an investment product, simply worth the value of the precious metal content, with no profit margin to support a direct selling model. On the other hand, silver and gold coins that are graded, certified and government issued are highly collectible assets and have an emotional and artistic element that enhances the coins’ value. In other words, these certified coins have what is called “collector’s value” (or “numismatic value”). And that can mean dollar signs for those buying, selling and collecting them.

To sweeten the pot, silver and gold coins have steadily increased in value, as opposed to many other popular collectibles—such as art, wine and collectible cars—which have lost value during the last three years as a result of the weakened economy. That’s precisely why Numis Network jumped at the chance to be the first direct selling company to offer high-quality, government-minted collectible coins at competitive prices to collectors.

The company, based in Tampa, Fla., launched in August 2009 with the exclusive Silver Coin of the Month Club, which offers an impressive selection of modern-issue coins from around the world. The ever-growing inventory currently boasts more than 200 coins and other related items that include coin watches, coin necklaces, Forever Crystal gift sets and Numis Network’s latest addition: ancient coins.

Numis Network Founders Jake Kevorkian, Chris Kent and Ian Cordell.

Entrepreneurial Spirits

“Chris Kent and I have been friends since the third grade,” Cordell says. “Growing up in Plant City, Fla., we wanted more than what we saw surrounding us.” The two shared an entrepreneurial drive as well as a strong commitment to personal development (dating back to studying self-help and success guru Tony Robbins’ books together in the 1980s).

They started their first business together upon graduating from college. That company, called Optimal Telecom, sold the first competitive, residential-local telephone service. Their second company, IDSTC (International Direct Selling Technology Corp.), emerged 10 years ago as a respected technology company in the direct selling and network marketing space, and is still going strong.

The success of their first two technology-based companies put the friends in a position to enter the product side of the business. With the help of golf buddy and industry leader Jake Kevorkian, they set out to create Numis Network. Cordell says, “Once the three of us got focused, it was really about finding the right product that didn’t compete with our current clients’ businesses, and also developing something that hadn’t been done before in the industry.” Enter a friend of the partners, Mike Mezack.

Mezack—an expert numismatist who sells millions of dollars of coins every year through The Home Shopping Network and other outlets—joined in on the discussion. “It was serendipitous timing, so to speak,” Cordell says. “All of the pieces just came together.” Through their discussions with Mezack, and their numismatic research showing the potential  sales  along with the sheer size of the collectible coin industry, the group recognized that this was a product that could be extremely successful in the marketplace … and also a bit addictive.

Cordell confesses, “Chris, Jake and I are now completely addicted to coin collecting.” Cordell’s collection includes a coin of Alexander the Great that was minted in 300 B.C., a Julius Caesar coin from 50 B.C., and his pride and joy, a Lydian coin from 600 B.C., the very first coin in history to be minted. “It’s remarkable that you can hold something in your hand that’s worthy of being in a museum,” he says. While Cordell collects ancient coins, Kent opts for modern-issue silver and gold coins for his growing collection, and Kevorkian collects them all. Needless to say, the three founding collectors are readily enjoying the perks of their business.

The Forever Crystal gift sets can commemorate special moments like a graduation or birth of a child.

Recruiting and Training … the Cool Way

As for recruiting people to their company, Numis Network has a very traditional network marketing approach. “People invite others to take a look, join the club and make money while doing it,” Cordell says. Of course, that’s complemented with online marketing, including personal websites and social networking sites—tools that are available to all Numis Network sales representatives. “In the 21 months that we’ve been in business, I’ve yet to find anyone who didn’t like silver and gold. So now we’re just looking for people who want to build a business in this unique new category of direct selling—collectible assets,” he says.

Numis Network’s recruiting may be traditional, but their training is anything but. With the help of uniquely qualified personal-development trainers—including Burke Hedges, the best-selling author of Who Stole the American Dream? and Patrick Snow, the inspirational author of Creating Your Own Destiny—Numis Network has established a world-class training curriculum known as Numis University.

The company has developed a large and entertaining selection of training videos appropriately titled “Coins Are Cool.” These videos provide a full range of numismatic education suited for cool collectors of any level, from beginners to advanced numismatists. And the personal-development philosophies, the foundational focus of the company, appear to be resonating with the sales team. More than 15,000 people have joined in just the first 18 months, and Numis Network sales representatives are now located in all 50 states and parts of Canada. This year, the company plans to expand into Europe and Australia as well. In 2012, an aggressive international strategy will take hold. “Our expectation is that Numis Network will become the largest retailer of silver and gold coins on the planet,” Cordell says.

Key Ingredients for Success

“I would say the key ingredients to the success of our company—and really any young company—especially in the direct selling industry, are having a unique, exciting and competitively priced product, and just as important, a management team that has the expertise to successfully operate the company,” Cordell says. He also stresses that new companies should have sufficient financial resources in place to address any challenges that may arise. Luckily, all three of the founding partners experienced financial success in the past and were able to fund the company on their own.

Having a good time also plays a role in the recipe for success, Kent says. “Jake and I were semi-retired before starting Numis Network, so we decided that if we were going to do this, it had to be fun.” That’s exactly why a work/play company culture is encouraged … and enjoyed. As a result, the home office is filled with high-spirited employees, which creates an atmosphere that ultimately attracts a lot of great people. “Having a good time together and building friendships at the office translates to better communication and a more energetic and productive environment,” Kent says.

The final ingredient for the successful young company: giving back. The Numis Network outreach program, Numis Cares, enthusiastically gives back to the community through a variety of local charitable initiatives like the Tampa Generals (one of the longest-running and most recognized wheelchair rugby teams in the United States), the SUCCESS Foundation® (promoting personal development in teens to help them achieve their highest potential) and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Dealing with the demands of a startup company can be challenging enough, yet Numis has found the time and energy to devote to charity and plans to expand the charitable efforts as the company continues to grow. “Giving back to the community is a big part of our initiative, and a growing part,” Cordell says.

A Lasting Legacy

Coins can be a wise investment, especially with collectible silver and gold coins, which have traditionally maintained or grown in value over time regardless of whether the American dollar or economy has gone up or down. However, coin collecting is not only about the potential financial investment; it’s about cherishing something that will last forever.

“We don’t sell coins as investment products; we sell them as collectibles. However, there is an investment element that can appreciate in value,” Kent says.

With collectible coins, anyone can enjoy building a valuable collection of miniature art and history, in precious metals, that can be handed down from generation to generation. “Coins are a great opportunity to teach children about history and financial responsibility,” Cordell says.

That’s why coins are cool. They can appeal to everyone, from the serious individual collector to families of all ages and every demographic in between. “Everyone collects something. Our philosophy is: Why not make it an asset that will hold its value and potentially appreciate?” Cordell says, adding, “With coins, the more you collect, the wealthier you are. And that’s cool.”