
Direct Selling University’s (DSU) Spring 2025 EVENT was an electrifying blend of innovation, inspiration and industry connection, welcoming hundreds of leaders from across the channel to explore cutting-edge trends and unify in a mission to improve the industry for all.

Over the last decade, we have seen a shift in the corporate leadership in direct selling. For decades, direct selling companies were being owned and managed by proven leaders with relevant experience in and understanding of our channel. However, the management in direct selling has shifted significantly over the last 8-10 years.

The direct selling industry is a mystery to many people, especially lawmakers who often equate it with negative stereotypes of the past rather than recognizing the positive impact it has on state and local economies. Who better to explain all the positive attributes of direct selling than the companies themselves?

Gordon Hester shares the key insights and takeaways from an analysis of public US direct selling companies from a recent project for the DSA Industry Research Committee. Information is important, but what turns information into results is utilizing the information to improve your business.

Managing change is always a vital task for any business that seeks to be competitive in the marketplace. Each year we are reminded that managing change is critical to success. Business leaders must understand that growth and profitability are the only path to stability. In this article, I will address two key questions.
What has created a climate of decline for many direct selling companies?
How can these companies get back to growth and profitability?

The debate about what direct selling is and isn’t continues to evolve. As a channel, we have an immediate opportunity to redefine the business model and control the narrative. But do we know what we want to say?

Today, direct selling fields are disparate groups defined internally by the cultures, brands and messaging of the companies they represent. They are always evolving and always a challenge. Productive field engagement takes hard work and diligence on the part of companies, as well as a good measure of finesse when marketplace challenges dictate change.

At a landmark celebration in Germany attended by more than 15,000 people and viewed online by more than 250,000, PM-International Chief Executive Officer Rolf Sorg announced that PM-International has reached the revenue milestone of $3 billion. With this new revenue benchmark, the company now has three decades of consecutive growth.

How some of the smartest companies in the channel stay nimble, fresh and relevant. Direct selling has always prided itself on being an opportunity for everyone. A vehicle that allows people from all walks of life to regain a sense of personal and financial freedom. That message hasn’t changed—but the methodology continues to.

Direct selling executives need insight and fresh ideas now more than ever before. In one of the most challenging years in direct selling history, leaders faced continued lockdowns in certain markets, changing consumer behaviors, a tense regulatory environment and lingering supply chain issues.

A leader’s job is to build the foundation to ensure the legacy and future of the company. As the adage goes, change is the only constant in life. Ray Kurzweil, the director of engineering at Google and arguably the world’s #1 futurist, notes that “the future will be far more surprising than most people realize.” The reason it will […]

THE WORLD IS CHANGING AT A FASTER PACE THAN AT ANY TIME IN HISTORY. The need for any leader, company, or industry to seek relevancy and leadership in the marketplace has never been greater. The direct selling industry is no exception to this reality. The competition for consumers requires us to be reimagine how we […]