In our January 2019 issue of Direct Selling News, we published a story on some best practices to employ when responding to misleading facts about your company or negative criticism of the industry. The article illustrates that sometimes it’s better to leave things alone because it can just bring more attention to the story. But, there are times when […]

Vigilance, continuous learning are industry’s best defenses against cybercriminals. It has become a painfully common headline: “Cyberthieves breach company’s system, steal credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, birthdates, passport numbers . . .” High-profile corporations such as Target, Equifax and Marriott all have been robbed of massive amounts of valuable consumer data in recent years, proving […]

Some years ago, on this page, I wrote about a “defining moment” for direct selling. And during last year’s DSA Annual Meeting, I spoke of the changes that were taking place in direct selling, and those changes I predicted we could see over the next few years. Now, as we move full ahead into 2019, […]

Last week, Washington state Attorney General Robert Ferguson filed an injunction against LuLaRoe, Inc., which the Attorney General described as an unlawful pyramid scheme. The complaint alleged that the LuLaRoe plan violated the Washington state Anti-Pyramid Promotional Scheme statute, made false and misleading earnings claims to potential and existing participants, and otherwise violated the state’s […]

The US Direct Selling Association (DSA) has announced that its Board of Directors unanimously approved the establishment of a third party self-regulatory program. The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (Direct Selling-SRC), which will be administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB), is designed to ensure high standards of integrity and business ethics which remain the guiding […]

Just as the arrival of a new year allows us start a new chapter and usher in new ideas, we too at Direct Selling News are excited to present to you a few new items for show and tell. As you can see we have added a new coat of paint to our look and […]

LegalShield recently announced that it has promoted Don Thompson to co-president of the firm’s Network Division, effective immediately. Thompson will report directly to LegalShield CEO Jeff Bell. In his new role, he will be responsible for creating and driving sales and network marketing strategies that elevate LegalShield in the marketplace. He will play an instrumental […]

When I worked at my first job on the Hill, I had the privilege of working with Neil Offen, the DSA’s president at the time. He was kind enough to help young staffers envision where our professional lives would lead. He encouraged us to become involved in the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Years […]

With over 37 million people, Canada has excellent potential for continued development and expansion. Given the close geographic and cultural relationship between the U.S.A. and Canada, it is no surprise that many U.S.-based direct selling companies have a long and established presence north of the border. Add a number of successful Canadian and international companies […]

As is true with any membership, you get what you put into it. You reap the richest value from organizations when you become an active participant. Association membership works exactly the same way: DSA is a crucible in which relationships are fused and ideas forged. The return on a company’s membership investment can only grow when members […]

Earlier this month, DSA Fall Conference 2018 welcomed more than 300 direct selling leaders to share the latest innovations, ideas and insights for today’s competitive market. The conference, held in Arlington, Va., allowed attendees to gain valuable insights on sales and marketing strategies, leveraging technology to fuel growth and brand value, independent contractor classification issues, recent legal […]

What used to be friendly territory is now a battleground. The gig economy is no longer an outlier. According to a recent McKinsey Global report titled Independent Work: Choice, Necessity and the Gig Economy found that 162 million people in Europe and the United States—or 20 to 30 percent of the working-age population—engage in some […]