January/February 2026 Direct Selling News

DIRECT SELLING NEWS

DSN VOLUME 22 / ISSUE 1

JANUARY / FEBRUARY

2026

Innovation at Sc a le HOW INNOVATION THE ROAD AHEAD / WHERE WILL OUR NEXT INNOVATIONS COME FROM? SOCIAL COMMERCE, DEFINED / WHAT IT MEANS FOR DIRECT SELLING’S FUTURE NORWEX / A NORWEGIAN LEGACY’S NEXT CHAPTER RIMAN / THE TRADITION OF K-BEAUTY

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Commissions | Shopping | Team Management | Field Enablement | Business Analytics | Admin

J O I N 6 0 0 + I N D U S T RY E X E C U T I V E S FO R T H E B I G G E S T E V E N T O F T H E Y E A R !

APRIL 14-16, 2026

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JEN ASHBY

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DR. LUCY GILDEA Mary Kay Chief Brand & Scientific Officer

DAVE GRIMALDI

PETER GRISCOM

Founder & CEO

It Works!

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Artificial Intelligence

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3

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Genistar COO

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JAY DHALIWAL

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ANDREW SCHMIDT Amway Regional President, West Markets

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DARNELL SELF

APRIL 15-16

LegalShield Executive VP of Network & Business Development

JUSTIN SERRA MAKE Wellness CEO

HANIEH SIGARI EllieMD Founder & CEO

ROB SPERRY

Speaker, Consultant, Strategic Advisor & Host of Built to Last Podcast

JASMINE STAR

CEO, Social Curator & Keynote Speaker

Scan to Register & visit dsnevents.com/spring2026 for updates.

AMANDA TRESS

FASTer Way to Weight Loss Co-Founder & CEO

BRANDON WHITE Trevally Founder & CEO

D S U | L ATA M

ALEX HOFFMANN Senior Global C-Level Executive

MIGUEL BEAS Zinzino President

LAURA BERNIER

HAROLDO DARELLI

4Life VP of Sales & Marketing (United States, Canada, Caribbean)

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LAURA HIROS

Mary Kay Manager Education & CMS LATAM Region

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WORKSHOP

KATHLEEN ROSS

Kathleen Ross Creative Speaker & CMO

PETER GRISCOM It Works!

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DAN DEBNAM

DAMIEN MOBLEY

BRANDON WHITE

Inovara Founder & CEO

Immunotec CTO

Trevally Founder & CEO

L E G A L , R E G U L ATO RY & C O M P L I A N C E WO R KS H O P

BRENT KUGLER Scheef & Stone Partner

JONATHAN GILLIAM FieldWatch Founder & CEO

LORRIE CIPRIANO-WALLACE

Norwex Senior Global Compliance Manager, North America

DAVE GRIMALDI DSA CEO

KIM DRABIK

Plexus Vice President Corporate Affairs

GORDON HESTER

Florida Direct Selling Coalition Chairman

KATRINA EASH

Winston & Strawn, LLP Partner

TROY KELLER

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F O R

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The Oscars of Direct Selling!

The DSN Global Celebration is the premier event of the channel.

Each year, the highly anticipated DSN Global 100 List is revealed along with the DSN Bravo Awards recognizing the outstanding achievements of the channel’s elite companies and executives.

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 The Westin Galleria / Dallas, TX COCKTAIL RECEPTION 6 PM—7 PM (CT) DINNER & AWARDS 7 PM—10 PM (CT)

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Attendance requires registration and is reserved for active corporate executives and event sponsors. Tickets are $149 per person. DSN Supporters and event sponsors receive varying number of complimentary tickets by level.

C O N T E N T S J A N U A R Y/ F E B R UA R Y

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46 F E AT U R E S Social Commerce, Defined B Y S T U A R T J O H N S O N

The Road Ahead B Y S T U A R T J O H N S O N

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHTS International Focus: RIMAN The Tradition of K-Beauty B Y J E N N Y V E T T E R

Company Spotlight: Norwex A Norwegian Legacy’s Next Chapter

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B Y J E N N Y V E T T E R

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DEPARTMENTS F O R WA R D T H I N K I N G /

38 The Next Wave of Wellness B Y D S N E D I TO R I A L S TA F F

INSIGHTS FROM THE OUTSIDE /

42 The Human Advantage B Y S A M H I N D

F O R YO U / F O R YO U R F I E L D /

Your Essential Monthly Motivation

88

BY CHELS E A HU G HES WORKING SMART /

Agentic Commerce

104

BY M I CHAEL MCCLELL AN

IN EVERY ISSUE 8 AD INDEX // 11 FROM THE PUBLISHER // 13 INDUSTRY NEWS // 28 THE DSN GUIDE // 109 DSA MESSAGE // 110 SUPPLIER DIRECTORY //

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DSN

DIRECT SELLING NEWS

Serving the Direct Selling and Network Marketing Executive Since 2004 A Direct Selling Partners Company FOUNDER AND CEO

Stuart P. Johnson PUBLISHER

54

Patricia White EDITOR

Lisa Robertson editor@directsellingnews.com NE WS EDITOR

Sarah Paulk pr@directsellingnews.com CONTROLLER

Gabrielle Araujo C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R

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Virginia Le PRODUCTION ARTIST

COVER STORY

Megan K. Ascencio

D I R EC T S E L L I N G ’ S H I S T O R Y O F

Innovation at Sc ale

DIREC TOR OF M ARK ETING

Jason Maggiore W E B M A N A G E R A N D D I G I TA L M A R K E T I N G

Laura Coppedge COPY EDITOR

How innovation shaped direct selling’s past, drives its present and will define its future.

Laura Coppedge CONTRIBUTORS

Sam Hind Chelsea Hughes Stuart Johnson

B Y D S N E D I TO R I A L S TA F F

Michael McClellan Sarah Paulk Jenny Vetter

Direct Selling News (ISSN 15546470) is published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November by Direct Selling Partners, 5717 Legacy Drive, Suite 250, Plano, TX 75024. Periodicals postage paid at Lake Dallas, TX and additional mailing offices.

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/ FROM THE PUBLISHER /

The Spirit of Innovation I HOPE EACH OF YOU HAD A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON, spent with your favorite family and friends. Here at DSN, we had much to celebrate with a year of successful events, comprehensive news coverage and the launch of two new podcasts. It was a year of accomplishments we are proud of, and it’s our honor to serve each of you. But we aren’t resting on our laurels. 2026 will be another year of insights at DSN. We’re kicking off the year with an issue fully focused on innovation. This channel has always thrived when brave entrepreneurs launched trailblazing companies that offered unique products and services to consumers and lucrative opportunities to regular people of all walks of life.

Our cover story takes a DEEP dive into companies we consider to be true innovators—and we go all the way back to the 1850s to do it. We hope you are as fascinated by these incredible visionaries as we are—the history of direct selling is full of stories of innovation and inspiration, and we’ve captured so many of them in this issue.

We also take a look at where the next wave of innovators will come from by highlighting the trends and

opportunities on the horizon. And we take a comprehensive look at social commerce.

Finally, RIMAN and Norwex shine brightly in our Company Spotlights.

At DSN, we strive to be your daily resource for global news impacting the direct selling channel. In addition to the recently launched Built to Last podcast, we’ve also recently revamped The DSN Podcast. Released every other Wednesday, it shares articles from our current issue. And sign up for free text alerts by becoming a member of our VIP Community where you’ll always get the top stories first and fast!

The educational opportunities never end at DSN—we are finalizing our plans for Spring DSU and our Global Celebration happening April 14-16 in Dallas. Make sure to register today for an event full of recognition, education and networking.

Secure your spot now at dsnevents.com.

All the best,

Pa t r i c i a W h i t e | P u b l i s h e r | pw h i t e @ d i r e c t s e l l i n g n ew s . c o m @directsellingnews

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/ INDUSTRY NEWS /

The Month in News Affecting Our Channel 15 / Top 5 News Watch 16 / Milestone Anniversaries 18 / Events 20 / Insights 22 / Executive Announcements 28 / The DSN Guide

NEWS WAT C H

5

TOP

HEADLINES > n MyDailyChoice Joins Immunotec’s

Global Network n WFDSA Releases Annual

STATS Report n Preliminary Direct Selling

Momentum Index Released for Product and for Service Companies n Telecom Plus Announces Compound

Double-Digit Customer Growth n M AKE Wellness Surpasses

$100 Million in Sales in First Year

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/ INDUSTRY NEWS /

M I L E S T O N E

A N N I V E R S A R I E S

Happy Anniversary!

2026 will be a milestone year for many direct selling companies! Congratulations and thank you for so many years of excellence and innovation in the channel—we can’t wait to see what you’ll do next!

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DIANA

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VI DA D IVI N A

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/ INDUSTRY NEWS /

E V E N T S

EVENTS Immunotec Charters Cruise Ship for La Vida Immunotec 2025

PM-International Hosts RibbonCutting Ceremony at New Americas Headquarters THE NEW SARASOTA FACILITY will create 100 new jobs in phase one, with expectations of 500 total, and will also contribute to regional and local revenue through partnerships with suppliers. The company has also acquired land surrounding the new facility, giving it the opportunity to expand to 188,000 square feet of warehouse with additional office and manufacturing areas that the company believes will better position it to access “a premium niche market potential of $11.69 billion across 5.55 million core customers.

“The Americas are entering a new era for PM-International,” said Stuart MacMillan, President of PM-International’s HQ Americas.

“This headquarters is a place where innovation, leadership and collaboration come together. It gives us the capacity and flexibility to support our growing network and deliver premiumquality products with unmatched speed and precision. Together, we’re ready to write the next chapter of success for PM in the Americas.”

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IMMUNOTEC CHARTERED A PRIVATE, ALLINCLUSIVE cruise ship for a seven-day event of celebration and connection with more than 2,000 of its independent consultants. Attendees of the experiential event enjoyed exclusive stops in Panama, Cartagena, Aruba and Curaçao where Immunotec combined unique onboard experiences with each destination that it says “embodied the company’s mission: science, community and happiness.”

Onboard entertainment included Immunotec’s Got Talent, product masterclasses, pickleball tournaments and icebreaker games designed to create connection and fun. Consultants described the event as a reminder of why they joined Immunotec in the first place, stating that it “isn’t just a business–it’s a family that celebrates your growth, your wins and your dreams.”

eXp Realty Hosts Record-Breaking Event eXp REALTY WELCOMED MORE THAN 4,500 attendees to its eXpcon Miami event. The annual conference offered three days of education, major announcements and empowerment. “eXpcon Miami was a massive celebration of our culture and our growth mindset,” said Leo Pareja, eXp Realty CEO. “Seeing thousands of agents, leaders and partners come together confirmed what we already know: eXp is where the most ambitious professionals come to build a legacy. We’ve not only delivered the most agent-centric training in the industry, but we’ve also laid the groundwork for a generational leap forward with our new technologies and programs.”

Zinzino Celebrates 20th Anniversary

LifeWave Conference Welcomes Largest Audience in Company History LIFEWAVE, INC. ANNOUNCED RECORD-BREAKING ATTENDANCE at its 2025 Global Conference in Anaheim, California. The event, themed Share the Light, welcomed thousands of brand partners from more than 35 countries in both virtual and in-person settings.

Guests experienced three days of celebration and education as well as product debuts, including the Cellergize Evening supplement, and the global launch of its new AI-powered LifeWave NOW app, which offers personalized social media tools, progress tracking and team-building resources. LifeWave CEO and Founder David Schmidt delivered the event’s keynote address and attendees were surprised with a lighthearted short film featuring legendary actor William Shatner in The World’s Oldest Intern.

“This year’s Share the Light Conference was more than an event—it was a movement,” Schmidt said. “From groundbreaking technology to world-class inspiration, this milestone gathering reflected our mission to bring light and healing into the world, providing people with more energy, vitality and hope.”

ZINZINO CELEBRATED ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY with approximately 5,000 leaders at its Vision 2025 Annual Event in Oslo, Norway. This milestone celebration combined inspiration, recognition and scientific breakthrough reveals that the company believes will define its next era, including the new Zinzino Gut Health Test. This breakthrough, which the company is calling its “moon landing in test-based nutrition,” was highlighted for its unique ability to analyze gut function with a single drop of blood.

“We’re not here to be average,” said Dag Bergheim Pettersen, Zinzino CEO. “We’re here to be legends. And the next 20 years start now.” DSN

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/ INDUSTRY NEWS /

I N S I G H T S

INSIGHTS

For the full articles, visit directsellingnews.com/ insights

Women-Owned Franchises Rise to 30% of US Businesses

W

omen have long been the minority when it comes to franchise ownership, but that gap is shrinking. In the past ten years, the number of women-owned franchises has grown by 38 percent. When compared to earlier decades, the improvement is profound. In 1972, two years before women were even legally allowed to apply for and own a credit card, there were only 400,000 registered businesses owned by women. Today, that number now exceeds 13 million.

Women now make up 30 percent of franchise owners in the US, and of this number, a third have successfully operated their business for more than a decade. There is still a long way to go towards equality in the business sector, and as women continue to forge their own path as business owners, it is critical that they are willing to be seen and heard within the corporate and commercial arena.

When asked what advice she would give to aspiring women leaders seeking to succeed in male-dominated environments, Sunny Beutler, Sunrider International CEO, told Chief Executive magazine: “I would tell them to be confident, to speak up and to professionally take the lead in conversations if you feel you have something worth sharing. It may often feel like men are dominating conversations, so you will feel like you have to push hard to be heard, but keep on doing it because that’s how you can get your voice heard.” DSN

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/ INDUSTRY NEWS /

E X E C U T I V E

A N N O U N C E M E N T S

For the full articles, visit directsellingnews.com/ announcements

EXECUTIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS

KIM DR ABIK / Chairman of the Government Relations Commit tee, Direct Selling Association Kim Drabik, the Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Plexus Worldwide, has been appointed chair of the Direct Selling Association’s Government Relations Committee.

Drabik brings decades of government affairs experience and has been a leader in guiding Plexus’ public policies and ethics strategy. In this new role, she will lead the effort to educate policymakers, advocate for independent contractors and boost consumer confidence in direct selling.

JOE LOCH / President, Saladmaster Regal Ware announced that Joseph (Joe) C. Loch has been named President of Saladmaster. Loch brings two decades of leadership experience within highperformance organizations and has expertise in revitalizing brands and scaling direct selling systems across both North America and international markets.

Loch succeeds Ayo Olaseinde, who recently was named Chairman of the Saladmaster Board of Directors.

KENNETH ROM ANZI / Chief E xecutive Of f icer, Nature’s Sunshine Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc. has appointed Kenneth Romanzi as Chief Executive Officer. Romanzi is a proven C-Suite executive with four decades of experience leading transformations and driving growth in both public and private sectors across the consumer packaged goods industry, including leadership roles within household brands like Nabisco, Naked Juice, Hasbro, Inc. and Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. Romanzi will now also become a member of the Nature’s Sunshine Board of Directors.

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/ INDUSTRY NEWS /

E X E C U T I V E

A N N O U N C E M E N T S

VALLEN BL ACKBURN / Chief Financial Of f icer, Sunrider International Sunrider International announced Vallen Blackburn has been appointed Chief Financial Officer. Blackburn brings more than two decades of global finance and operations leadership across the public and private sector and has both domestic and international direct selling leadership experience. Blackburn specializes in modernizing financial systems and driving profitable growth through strategy alignment, execution and accountability.

REGAL WARE ANNOUNCES BOARD OF DIREC TORS TR ANSITION Regal Ware announced the appointment of Greg Windfeldt and Dan Hess to its Board of Directors. Gene Windfeldt, Greg’s father, will now step down from his role as a board member.

Greg Windfeldt is the President and CEO of Preferred Credit Inc., a financing partner well-established within the direct selling industry, and brings more than two decades of experience in finance and executive leadership to the role. His perspective and financial insight is expected to strengthen Regal Ware’s dealer ecosystem and consumer affordability as the company grows.

Dan Hess brings expertise leading global product, analytics and platform organizations across technology, retail and media sectors. He is known for his ability to drive innovation and scalable solutions and will now help modernize decision-making, content delivery and information flows between Regal Ware, its dealers, retail partners and consumers.

ROBERT BENSOUSSAN / Chairman, Oriflame Oriflame announced the appointment of Robert Bensoussan to the role of Chairman.

Bensoussan brings significant experience scaling and reshaping premium consumer brands and led a rapid international expansion for Jimmy Choo, where he served as CEO. Bensoussan succeeds Alexander af Jochnick, who will remain on the board as a member.

SA M ANTHA BALL ARD / Pomifera Brand President, Shaklee The Shaklee Corporation announced that Samantha Ballard has been named President of the Pomifera brand. Ballard brings more than two decades of leadership experience within the beauty, wellness and direct selling industries and will now lead the Pomifera brand’s strategic vision, field engagement, product portfolio evolution and community growth.

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J U NE 10 - 12 , 2026 M A R R I O T T H O T E L R E G E N T S PA R K / LO N D O N, U K

DSU Europe is returning to London!

EUROPE’S TOP DIRECT SELLING LEADERS WILL GATHER ONCE AGAIN to explore the latest insights, strengthen industry connections and discover new opportunities for growth. Learn from the industry pioneers, seasoned executives and visionary leaders who are shaping direct selling.

Our speakers are poised to ignite inspiration, spark meaningful dialogue and provide actionable insights to propel your business to new heights.

Don’t miss this chance to participate in an event that promises to elevate your business and continue shaping the future of direct selling in Europe.

REGISTER NOW & SAVE THE DATE SC AN TO LE ARN MORE & TO REGISTER

/ INDUSTRY NEWS /

E X E C U T I V E

A N N O U N C E M E N T S

A M ANDA SLY / Chair, Direct Selling Association UK The Direct Selling Association for the United Kingdom announced Amanda Sly has been appointed Chair of the Board. Sly brings 25 years of experience in retail to the role and has served on the board since 2023. She is currently the Director of Operations for AquaSource, a direct-to-consumer skincare company, where she leads the UK and European operations.

ALBERTO DE FR ANCESCHI / Ethics Commit tee, Seldia Seldia, the European Direct Selling Association, announced that Alberto De Franceschi has been named Chairperson of the European Code Administrator, or Ethics Committee.

De Franceschi is a professor of Private Law, Consumer and Market Law, Digital Law and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Ferrara. He also serves as Ambassador’s Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability at KU Leuven.

BEN M AYO / Senior Director of Field Sync, It Works!

It Works! announced Ben Mayo has been named Senior Director of Field Sync. Mayo brings three decades of experience building systems for distributors and expertise in building collaborative partnerships between corporate and field leaders that drive performance.

He has served for the last decade in senior leadership roles at another well-known direct selling brand.

BRUCE MURDOCK / Senior Vice President, Legal and General Counsel, 4Life 4Life announced it has appointed Bruce Murdock to the role of Senior Vice President, Legal and General Counsel. Murdock brings more than two decades of experience in direct sales with expertise in network marketing regulations, FDA and FTC compliance, contract review and approval, corporate governance, international business development, labor and human resources, intellectual property protection and data privacy. DSN

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MARKETING DEEP DIVE

M A R K E T I N G M A S T E R Y S TA R T S H E R E !

What’s the Right Strategy for Your Brand?

T U E S D AY FEBRUARY 24 5:00PM - 7:00PM Welcome Reception & Networking W E D N E S D AY FEBRUARY 25 8:00AM - 9:00AM Registration, Networking & Continental Breakfast

Wednesday February 25, 2026 YO U N G L I V I N G G LO B A L H E A D Q U A R T E R S / L E H I, U T

9:00AM - 4:00PM General Session (lunch provided) 4:00PM - 5:00PM Networking

Register for FREE at dsnevents.com/marketingdeepdive DSN Deep Dive Events are exclusively designed for and limited to active corporate direct selling executive employees. Registration is FREE.

/ INDUSTRY NEWS /

T H E

D S N

G U I D E

2 0 2 6

THE

GUIDE A C U R AT E D R E S O U R C E TO H ELP YO U FI N D STR ATEG I C B U S I N ES S PARTN ER S S PEC IALIZI N G I N D I R EC T S ELLI N G.

T

HE CHANNEL IS EVOLVING RAPIDLY—companies and executives

must stay ahead of emerging trends and technologies to build for the future. But it can be time consuming and hard to find the right suppliers to partner with.

That’s why we’ve developed The DSN Guide. In each issue,

2026 I S S U E

C ATEG O RY

J A N U A RY/ F E B R U A RY

DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL SOLUTIONS, EVENT PRODUCTIONS & INCENTIVES

M A R C H/ APRIL

CREDIT CARD & PAYMENT SOLUTIONS & COMMISSION PAYMENT SERVICES

M AY/ JUNE

SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY

J U LY/ A U G U ST

DISTRIBUTION, FULFILLMENT & LOGISTICS

S E P TE M B E R / O C TO B E R

BRANDING & SOCIAL MEDIA SOLUTIONS

NOVE M B E R/ DECEMBER

LEGAL, TAX, CONSULTING & EXECUTIVE SEARCH

The Guide includes curated lists by category of expertise and service. These suppliers currently serve the channel—they understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with direct selling and can help you implement your intiatives.

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{

T H I S I S S U E’ S F E AT U R E D C AT EG O R I ES

}

DESTINATIONS, TR AVEL SOLUTIONS, EVENT PRODUCTIONS & INCENTIVES COM PA N Y

WEBSITE

ADDITIONAL C O N TA C T I N FO R M AT I O N

ADI Meetings & Events

adimeetings.com

sales@adimeetings.com 480-725-9031

Bartha

bartha.com

---------------

Cornerstone Technologies, LLC

cornerstoneav.com

---------------

Custom Travel Solutions

customtravelsolutions.com

---------------

Disney Destinations

disneymeetingsandevents.com

---------------

E.A. Dion, Inc.

eadion.com

info@eadion.com 800-445-1007

Global DMC Partners

globaldmcpartners.com

---------------

iCentiviz

icentiviz.com

---------------

Katapult Events

katapultevents.com

info@katapultevents.com 407-915-9060

Milestone

milestonemeetings.com

---------------

Morris Meetings & Incentives

morrismeetings.com

---------------

Multi Image Group (MIG)

mig.cc

---------------

Ovation Global DMC

ovationdmc.com

---------------

Royal Carribbean International

royalcaribbeanincentives.com

---------------

Tempe, AZ

Columbus, OH American Fork, UT Travelers Rest, SC

Lake Buena Vista, FL Attleboro, MO

Washington, DC Riverton, UT

Winter Springs, FL Scottsdale, AZ Salt Lake City, UT Boca Raton, FL

Global Locations Miami, FL

DSN

DIRECT SELLING NEWS

Would you like to be included in The DSN Guide? Email support@directsellingnews.com for more information. Companies featured in The Guide have been in business for a minimum of two years and are verified to be working with direct selling companies. Companies appearing in The Guide are not endorsed

by DSN. The Guide is provided strictly as a resource. It is each company's responsibility to verify and investigate providers and services. d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 2 9

T R A V E L T R E N D S I N

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By Dianna Crnkovich - ADI Meetings & Events

Our Predictions for the Experiences That Will Define Next Year’s Incentive Landscape As direct selling event specialists, our team at ADI has seen the industry evolve rapidly throughout 2025. Compensation plan updates, shifting demographics, and rising expectations around travel are reshaping what top performers value most. These are the six trends we predict will define high-impact events in 2026.

1. The New Achiever Era Comp plan changes are expanding the incentive achiever pool as more firsttime, part-time, and retail-driven sellers qualify. Events must now balance celebration with meaningful development that speaks to a more diverse audience.

2. Cruise Incentives Take the Spotlight Cruising is becoming the perfect match for today’s incentive model thanks to its strong value, built-in luxury, and endless opportunities for content creation.

Premium ships and curated experiences offer scale without sacrificing elevated touches.

3. The Gen Z Effect on Event Design Younger achievers are reshaping what a modern event should feel like, with preferences centered on authenticity, wellness, and capturable design. They gravitate toward experiences that feel personal, elevated, and naturally suited for sharing with their communities.

4. Personalization Becomes the Luxury Standard Influencer trip culture has raised attendee expectations across the board. Guests now anticipate curated gifting, high aesthetic environments, and moments that feel beautifully crafted and uniquely designed for them.

5. Tech Enhanced Travel Takes Center Stage AI and digital tools are transforming how achievers experience incentive travel.

Personalized itineraries, mobile guided interactions, and tech supported customization will create more seamless and elevated journeys.

6. Destination Discovery Goes Next Level Brands are seeking unique, story rich locations that feel culturally immersive and exclusive. Destinations that offer fresh perspectives and memorable, share worthy moments will drive 2026 sourcing decisions.

At ADI, we see these shifts unfolding in real time and continue to help our partners create incentive experiences that reflect where the modern seller is headed next.

Dianna Crnkovich serves as an Account Executive at ADI Meetings and Events, focusing on global incentives, recognition events, and experiential strategy for the direct selling industry.

>

The DSN GUIDE Connects Your Business with Direct Selling Companies

Today’s direct selling executives look to THE GUIDE to find the right partner for their projects. Whether you offer incentives, event production, payment processing or logistic services, make sure the top companies in the channel know who you are, what you do and how you can help them!

LET'S TALK!

To find out how your company can appear in THE GUIDE, email us at support@directsellingnews.com.

DSN_0126_TheGuide_HalfPageAd.indd 1

12/11/25 10:07 AM

we are we tell your katapult stories The Katapult team combines creative, design & operational expertise, having worked with some of the top Direct Sales companies to create exceptional events over the past 20 years.

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production / management / design / creative / incentives

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The Next Wave of Wellness How metabolic science is reshaping product innovation

A

across the direct selling channel.

BY D S N S TA FF W R ITE R

YO U N G LIVI N G’ S BAL AN CE & B U R N SYSTE M S E RVE S AS A U S E FU L C AS E STU DY I N H OW TH E S E TR E N D S AR E M AN IFE STIN G ACROS S TH E CHAN N E L .

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S THE WELLNESS SECTOR CONTINUES TO EXPAND, metabolic health has become one of its most rapidly evolving frontiers. Growing research on gut signaling, polyphenols and nutrient utilization is reshaping how companies think about formulation design, efficacy and long-term consumer support.

Within this broader movement, direct selling brands are also re-evaluating how to bring science-aligned products to market in ways that balance credibility, accessibility and behavioral simplicity. Young Living’s Balance & Burn™ System serves as a useful case study in how these trends are manifesting across the channel.

No Longer Niche Over the last several years, metabolic health has shifted from a niche topic to a core focus among wellness consumers. Interest has broadened from weight management alone to include energy levels, gut health, hormonal balance and longevity. Products that support multiple points in these pathways—rather than pursuing a single mechanism—are drawing increased attention.

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N OW INVE STIN G N OT O N LY I N I N G R E D I E NTS B UT

how consumers actually use them.

ALSO IN

.

An Important Shift Historically, many weight- and metabolismsupport products relied on a single hero ingredient—often paired with aggressive stimulants. Emerging formulations now draw from a wider scientific toolbox: polyphenols, postbiotics, bioavailable botanicals and micronutrients linked to glucose efficiency or fat oxidation.

Young Living’s Balance & Burn System reflects this broader trend by incorporating: This shift is driven by two converging forces:

1 / More accessible scientific education.

Consumers now encounter metabolic concepts such as GLP-1 signaling, insulin sensitivity and microbiome balance in mainstream media.

2 / A stronger emphasis on long-term, sustainable wellness practices. Quick-fix methods have given way to routines that integrate into daily life without extreme protocols or stimulants.

In this environment, companies are gravitating toward systems-based formulations that address multiple aspects of metabolic function simultaneously.

n Phytosomal berberine, aligned with research on nutrient metabolism n Akkermansia postbiotic, part of the fast-growing

microbiome-support sector n Citrus polyphenols (Sinetrol®), studied for body

composition outcomes n Essential-oil-derived botanical compounds, such as bergamot and cinnamon bark. This type of multi-mechanism design connects to a larger industry movement: developing systems that support metabolic health through interlocking pathways—gut signaling, bioactive absorption, fat‑use efficiency and energy conversion.

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ingredients, S E ARCH FO R CLIN I C AL DATA , E VA LUATE D OSAG E LE VE L S AN D Q U E STI O N SO U RCIN G STAN DAR D S .

Creating Long-Term Success Another industry trend shaping product development is the emphasis on behavioral simplicity. Research continues to show that daily adherence is the defining factor in whether wellness strategies succeed long term.

Brands are now investing not only in ingredients but also in how consumers actually use them.

The Balance & Burn System’s two-step design— a direct-consumption stick pack plus a single daily packet—aligns with this thinking. Instead of requiring complex routines or multiple dosing windows, products are being reformulated to match real-world habits.

This aligns with an industry-wide reassessment: innovation is no longer limited to ingredients; it increasingly includes delivery mechanisms, user experience and friction reduction.

The Rise of Postbiotics and Metabolic‑Gut Signaling One of the clearest trends appearing across wellness innovation is the integration of microbiome-support ingredients—particularly postbiotics that interact with metabolic pathways.

As research continues to explore how gut organisms communicate with the rest of the body, companies are moving beyond probiotics to include: n Postbiotic strains. n Fibers that feed beneficial bacteria. n Phytonutrients that interact with gut-derived metabolic signals.

Young Living’s use of an Akkermansia postbiotic, a microbe associated with healthy hormone production in the microbiome in-vitro and human studies, is an example of how direct selling brands are beginning to align product formulation with this emerging science.

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Evidence-Centered Formulation Across the industry, companies are shifting toward R&D models that integrate published studies, clinical trials and regulatory-aligned claims structures. This is particularly visible in metabolic wellness, where scientific scrutiny and consumer skepticism are high.

The Balance & Burn System’s inclusion of Sinetrol—a citrus-polyphenol blend with clinical data showing reductions in fat mass over 12 weeks—illustrates how brands are increasingly leaning on evidencesupported ingredients when designing new systems.

This trend is accelerating for several reasons: n Consumers now expect scientific transparency. n Regulatory environments are tightening

around claims. n Differentiation in a crowded wellness market increasingly depends on credible research.

The result is a gradual movement away from novelty-driven ingredient selection and toward formulations grounded in measurable outcomes.

Targeting the Research-Literate Consumer The direct selling channel, long built on community, education and peer-to-peer influence, is evolving as its customers become more research literate. Today’s buyers compare ingredients, search for clinical data, evaluate dosage levels and question sourcing standards.

This shift is pushing companies to: n Publish clearer ingredient rationale. n Invest in R&D partnerships. n Highlight formulation transparency. n Develop systems rather than isolated products.

Young Living’s framing of Balance & Burn as part of its larger research evolution mirrors this direction, emphasizing ongoing scientific integration as a core part of future product strategy.

n Behavioral design—how products fit into daily life—will become as important as formulation itself. n Evidence-centered development will shape

competitive differentiation across the direct selling channel.

Looking Ahead The emergence of systems like Balance & Burn suggests several future-facing industry realities: n Metabolic health will remain a dominant innovation driver as research and consumer interest continue to expand. n Systems-based solutions will increasingly outpace single-ingredient formulas. n Microbiome and postbiotic science will play a

growing role in metabolic-support product lines.

As wellness consumers continue to seek solutions that are both natural and research‑aligned, companies will need to balance botanical traditions, emerging science and user‑friendly product experiences. Young Living’s latest system illustrates how these forces are beginning to converge and offers insight into how the next generation of wellness innovation may unfold. DSN

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SET SMART GUARDRAILS THAT

KEEP CONTENT HUMAN, COMPLIANT AND PLATFORM FRIENDLY.

The Human Advantage How home office teams can lead the field through AI and social media change.

I

BY SAM HIND, FOUNDER / AUX ANO GLOBAL | S P E A K E R & D I G ITA L G R OW TH S TR ATEG I S T

F YOU LEAD TRAINING OR MARKETING INSIDE A DIRECT SELLING COMPANY, you’re probably feeling two things at once right now: excitement and concern.

Excitement because AI is helping people create faster, easier and with more confidence than ever before. Concern because the way the field is using AI is starting to clash with what social platforms reward; what compliance requires; and what customers trust. In short, we’re becoming less human.

Which means the home office isn’t just training how to create content anymore—you’re protecting trust, compliance and the reputation of the channel.

The companies that win the next 12–18 months won’t be the ones who shout “use AI!” the loudest. They’ll be the ones who set smart guardrails that keep content human, compliant and platform friendly.

Here are the key social and AI trends and shifts I’m watching right now—and what they mean for home office teams as you seek practical ways to protect trust and grow reach. .

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AI CAN HELP THE

Platforms Are Doubling Down on Original, Human Content

FIELD SHOW UP FASTER—BUT

Instagram and Facebook are pushing originality and real engagement harder than ever. Instagram has openly said it wants to recommend original creators more and reduce visibility for repostheavy or “aggregate” accounts.

At the same time, both Meta platforms continue leaning into AI-driven recommendations that prioritize meaningful interaction and watch time, not just content volume.

ONLY HUMANS CAN HELP CUSTOMERS FEEL SOMETHING.

ACTION ITEMS FOR THE HOME OFFICE:

1 / Update training to prioritize creation, not just reposting. Encourage field members to use templates and inspiration, but always add personal context, a story or their own voice.

2 / Provide a simple content cadence that’s sustainable with lifestyle that bakes in originality (e.g., two story posts, one value post, one lifestyle post weekly).

3 / Don’t just reward “pretty” content. Reward content that builds trust and conversation.

AI Content Is Being Labelled— and Low-Value AI Is Getting Demoted Meta is expanding “Made with AI” and “AI info” labels and expects creators to disclose AIgenerated media. Instagram executives have stressed the growing need for transparency because people are losing trust in what they see.

That’s unsurprising, with reports from the platforms estimating that over 40 percent of all content we see today may be AI-generated.

The danger isn’t AI itself. The danger is generic, mass-produced AI content that feels fake, repetitive and disconnected from a real human. Platforms are getting better at detecting and downranking this kind of content.

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ACTION ITEMS FOR THE HOME OFFICE:

1 / T each the difference between AI as an assistant vs. a replacement. n Assistant = ideas, structure, editing, clarity,

captions, repurposing. n Replacement = full posts with no personal

story, no opinion and no voice.

2 / P rovide a simple “AI-use policy” your field can understand: n Use AI to support content—but ensure their

story, opinion and experience are visible. n If a post is fully AI-generated, disclose it. n Never use AI to invent health claims, income

claims or fake testimonials. n When in doubt, ask compliance.

3 / S hare real examples of “good AI” and “bad AI” posts to support clarity and consistency.

Reels and Short Video Still Matter— but Retention Matters More Instagram and Facebook continue to favor short-form video. In 2026, the growth lever is not just creating Reels—it’s creating Reels people finish. That means optimizing for watch time and replays.

This is good news for direct sellers because it rewards relatable, simple, low-production content— not polished perfection.

ACTION ITEMS FOR THE HOME OFFICE:

1 / S hift training from “make Reels” to “make Reels people finish.” Focus on: n Three-second hooks n One clear idea per Reel n Story structure: problem → moment → takeaway

→ soft invite I call this the “date, date, date—ask” strategy.

In other words, build relationship and curiosity first, then invite.

2 / P rovide a monthly Reel prompt bank (relational, curiosity-led and story-selling friendly).

3 / E ncourage leaders to model imperfect but consistent video so the field feels safe to follow.

Ads and Compliance Are Colliding More Often Meta’s ad system is stricter, more automated and more sensitive to health, income and “before/after” content. Many direct sellers are encouraged to run ads without understanding policy risks—which leads to frustration and wasted money.

What this means for home office teams:

1 / If you want field members running ads, equip them with: n Pre-approved ad templates n Compliant copy frameworks n A simple “red flag” list (what not to say, show or

40% OVER

OF ALL CONTENT WE SEE TODAY MAY BE AI-GENERATED.

Human Connection—Supported by Smart Tech Wins AI will keep evolving. Algorithms will keep changing. But the companies that stay steady are the ones who anchor the field in what never changes: n Customers buy from people they like, know

and trust. n Platforms reward content that feels real,

useful and relational. n AI is powerful when it helps humans show

up more consistently—not when it replaces their voice.

If training keeps that heartbeat clear, the field will grow with confidence instead of overwhelm.

A SIMPLE WAY TO FRAME YOUR INTERNAL STRATEGY: n Human first. n Work with the algorithm by focusing on what

it rewards (watch time, saves, shares and conversation). n Use AI to speed up clarity and execution—

to enhance, not replace, the person. n Build trust before you build volume.

AI can help the field show up faster—but only humans can help customers feel something. That’s how we protect the reputation of the channel and help the field move the needle in 2026. DSN

imply)

2 / If you don’t want the field running ads, be clear and explain why.

3 / Consider a quarterly ad-policy update for leaders to keep advice relevant and reduce confusion.

SAM HIND is a social media and digital marketing strategist who trains direct selling field and home office teams globally. She helps companies build human‑first social media systems and responsible AI practices that protect trust, grow reach and create sustainable momentum. d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 4 5

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SOCIAL COMMERCE, DEFINED WHAT IT IS , WHAT IT ISN ’ T AND WH AT IT M E A N S FOR D IREC T SELLING’ S FUTURE .

BY STUART JOHNSON, FOUNDER & CEO / DIRECT SELLING NEWS

d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 47

F E AT U R E

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S O C I A L

C O M M E R C E ,

D E F I N E D

What Social Commerce Is—and Isn’t Let’s start with clarity. Social commerce is more than “selling on social media.” It’s not simply posting product pictures on Instagram or sharing a link on Facebook.

Those are tactics. Social commerce is about where the entire customer journey happens.

In a social commerce environment, the flow looks like this: 1 / Discovery happens in the feed—through a creator, a friend or branded content.

2 / Evaluation happens in the comments, reviews, live chats, DMs and shared videos.

O

VER THE LAST FEW YEARS, a new phrase has quietly moved from conference stages and investor decks into everyday conversations: social commerce.

Retail analysts use it. Tech companies tout it. Social platforms are racing to build tools and features around it. And increasingly, consultants, thought leaders and executives throughout the channel are all asking the same question: What does social commerce mean for direct selling?

Is it just a trendy label for what this channel has always done—people selling to people through relationships and referrals? Or is it something new—a structural shift in how customers discover, evaluate and purchase products in a digital-first world?

The answer is: both.

Social commerce is a new term for a new era. But it is also a powerful signal to the outside world that the way people shop has permanently changed, and direct selling is uniquely positioned to lead—not follow—in this transformation.

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3 / Purchase happens without leaving the platform— through shoppable posts, in-app checkout or integrated links that remember payment details and shipping preferences.

Social commerce turns the social platform itself into the storefront, the sales conversation and the checkout counter. That’s very different from traditional ecommerce where social media drives traffic to a separate website, creating an inherent barrier to purchase. In social commerce, social becomes the website.

For the broader retail world, that’s a radical shift. But for direct selling, it should feel familiar. This channel has always thrived where community and commerce intersect. Social commerce simply moves that intersection from the kitchen table to the digital feed.

Powered by AI

Going forward, social commerce will increasingly be defined by the power of AI—how well a company turns data, content and conversation into real-time, personalized experiences. Intelligent commerce S content, ERVICES ARE SURG stitches together product discovery, creator R EaDsingle, EFINING HOW DIR customer chat, payments and follow-up into learning system. In short, AI makes social commerce feel G R E AT C HAPTER WILL one-to-one at scale.

As these systems learn, the impact compounds.

Each interaction teaches the engine a little more about who the customer is, what the field needs and which messages actually move the needle. Over time, that intelligence will sit quietly underneath our social commerce efforts—helping the right product and message show up at the right moment, without adding complexity for the field or the customer.

SOCIAL CO M M E R C E , DEFINED

S O C I A L C O M M E R C E TURNS

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T H E S T O R E F R O N T, T H E S A L E S C O N V E R S AT I O N A N D T H E C H E C KO U T C O U N T E R .

THREE KEY T A K E A W AY S

1 / SOCIAL COMMERCE IS THE Why It’s Exploding Three forces are driving the rise of social commerce: friction, trust and proximity.

1 / Friction Every additional click in a traditional funnel— social ad to brand site to product page to cart to checkout—is a chance for distraction and drop-off.

Social commerce compresses that journey. The moment of inspiration (“I like that”) and the moment of transaction (“I bought it”) happen in the same environment, often in a single flow.

2 / Trust Direct selling has always been built on relationship and referral. Social commerce amplifies that dynamic in a digital context. Instead of one person telling you about a product in a living room, you see thousands of people reacting to it in real time.

A creator you follow shows you how it works on live video. A comment section becomes a running G ING —AND testimonial thread. The result is the same relationship R E C T S E L L I N G ’commerce S N E X T principles the channel has relied on for decades—people buying from people they trust—but L BE WRITTEN. now powered by a visible, always-on conversation.

3 / Proximity Consumers—especially younger generations—are not starting their shopping trips on a search engine or a corporate home page. They are starting inside social apps. They are already there, engaged, scrolling.

Social commerce brings the buying experience into the space where they are already spending their time.

NEW STOREFRONT

It’s not just posting on social; it’s moving the entire customer journey—discovery, evaluation and purchase—into the feed, where direct selling’s historic strengths in community and conversation naturally fit.

2 / PLATFORMS AND AI NOW SHAPE THE MODEL

With algorithms, in-app checkout and intelligent commerce systems sitting between companies and customers, leaders must rethink ownership, identity and risk instead of treating social commerce as a bolt-on tactic.

3 / THE FIELD MUST BE EQUIPPED AS CREATORS, NOT JUST DISTRIBUTORS

Future growth will favor companies that help their people build personal brands, run community-driven experiences and sell natively inside social platforms— redesigning the business so it belongs in social commerce rather than merely appearing there.

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SOCIAL COMMERCE IS NOT A TREND O N T H E H O R I Z O N . IT IS THE

ENVIRONMENT O U R F I E L D I S A L R E A D Y O P E R AT I N G I N T O D AY.

Direct selling has always gone where the customer is—homes, offices, kitchens, coffee shops, community gatherings. Social commerce is simply the next neighborhood.

And the concept of live shopping via media is certainly not new. The QVCs and HSNs of the world have been doing it for decades—but now those conversations are shifting to the biggest, most relevant community of all.

We must be where the conversations occur. We must make it simple, fast and convenient to shop.

Removing as many barriers to purchase as possible not only creates a better user experience for the customer, it sets up the company and the field for success.

The New Storefronts: Platforms as Marketplaces When you take note of how the major platforms are evolving, the pattern becomes clear. TikTok Shop and its Chinese counterpart, Douyin, are perhaps the purest expression of social commerce at scale.

Short-form videos, creator storefronts, live shopping events and in-app checkout collapse marketing, storytelling and transaction into one entity. The video is the ad, the presentation and the order form all at once. For categories like beauty, wellness and fashion—the backbone of direct selling—that is a powerful combination.

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Meta has layered shopping tools into Facebook and Instagram. Shops, shoppable posts and in-app checkout have turned profiles and pages into destination storefronts. For many direct selling companies, this is where the first experiments began: Facebook Lives functioning as digital parties; private groups acting as always-open showrooms; Instagram posts and Reels offering distributors opportunities to tag products and link to social shops.

Beyond the giants, smaller platforms and creator networks are building their own ecosystems. Affiliatestyle platforms and link-in-bio tools tie content to commerce in smoother ways. The common thread is simple: the creator—not the corporate site—becomes the primary storefront.

Again, the DNA feels familiar. Direct selling has always put a person at the center of the story. But in this new environment, that “person” might be a top distributor, a niche creator, a micro-influencer or even the brand’s own social channel—and the gatekeeper is increasingly the platform’s algorithm.

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Shared DNA So, is social commerce just a new label for what direct selling has always been? The answer is yes and no.

Yes, the philosophy is aligned. Direct selling and social commerce are both built on trust, recommendation and community-led growth. Both live outside traditional retail and use relationship as the bridge to purchase. But underneath that shared philosophy, the structure is changing.

Traditional direct selling is organized around independent distributors who affiliate with a company, use its replicated tools and operate within the confines of its compensation plan. Whether that has been through selling products at in-home parties or hosting packed hotel ballrooms for opportunity presentations, corporate ran the show, owning the infrastructure—systems, warehouses, websites, data—and designing the economics.

Social commerce, by contrast, is organized around platforms. The infrastructure lives inside TikTok, Meta or another social environment. The algorithms decide who sees what. Creator tools determine whose voice carries. In many cases, the platform— not the company—controls the customer relationship and transaction data.

That shift has real implications. In classic direct selling, if you own the comp plan and the back office—you own the model. In social commerce, you may be one app update away from a very different playing field.

But that doesn’t make social commerce the enemy of the channel. It simply means we cannot treat it as a bolt-on tactic. It is a new operating environment that demands new design choices.

Social Selling vs. Social Commerce: Why Language Matters Inside the industry, we talk far more about “social selling” than “social commerce.” That isn’t wrong, but it is narrow.

Social selling is a people-first term. It rightly focuses on the behavior of distributors—how they use social tools to connect, tell stories and invite customers to buy. It describes tactics and training.

SOCIAL COMMERCE 1 / If a new customer discovers us today on social, how many clicks stand between curiosity and checkout?

2 / Where does our brand look and feel most alive online— and who is responsible for that presence: corporate or field?

3 / What percentage of our orders could realistically move to a social-commerce or app-based flow in the next 24 months?

4 / Do we have a clear stance on who owns the customer relationship in a platform-dominated world—and is that reflected in our systems and compensation?

5 / If we erased our website tomorrow, could a new customer still understand, experience and purchase our core offering entirely through social platforms and messaging apps?

If the answer to most of these questions is “I’m not sure” or “probably not,” you’ve just identified your strategic roadmap for the next three years.

Social commerce is a market-first term. It describes a broader ecosystem that includes brand shops, platform marketplaces, creator storefronts, affiliate models and classic distributor activity. It forces us to think bigger than a single field strategy.

A distributor hosting a Facebook Live “party” with shoppable links is doing social selling and participating in social commerce. A beauty creator on TikTok who has never heard of direct selling, but sells out her inventory in one live session, is absolutely part of social commerce, even if she never attends a company convention.

For channel executives, using the broader term in strategic conversations is helpful because it raises more fundamental questions. Where do we want to sit in this ecosystem? Do we want our brand presence to be centered in corporate channels, the field, platforms, influencers, affiliates—or in some combination of those?

How do we support our distributors to act more like creators without losing the compliance, culture and community that make this channel unique?

The words we use shape the decisions we make.

Narrow language tends to lead to incremental change.

Broader language opens the door to reinvention. d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 51

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HAD THE COURAGE TO RETHINK THE MODEL, N O T J U S T U P D AT E T H E L A N G U A G E .

How Direct Selling Is Already Participating

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NE OF THE GREATEST STRENGTHS OF DIRECT SELLING has always been its commitment to

personal development. But what’s changing now is the personalization of that journey. Instead of one-size-fits-all training, today’s field leaders are tapping into platforms that

SOCIAL tailor learning to their individual strengths, communication

styles and stages of growth. Social platforms surface what CO M MERCE, each person needs in real time—storytelling tips, product

DEFINED

insights, content ideas, confidence-building tools—based on their behavior and their audience’s response.

That personalization is powerful because direct selling has always grown through people, not processes. When individuals evolve, their influence expands. And as social commerce becomes the environment where that influence lives, the impact compounds. A representative’s personal

growth translates directly into more authentic content, deeper community connection and higher credibility in the feed.

The more someone grows, the more their voice resonates— and the more naturally customers gravitate toward them.

In this new era, personal development isn’t just a benefit of the business; it is a strategic advantage. Social commerce amplifies the human journey. It takes individual growth and broadcasts it—through lives, stories, reels, communities and conversations—where customers can see, feel and respond to it instantly.

Nothing drives sales like a person who is becoming a better, stronger, clearer, more confident version of themselves in front of an audience that is rooting for them.

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The good news is that most direct selling companies are already in the social commerce arena—whether they use that label or not.

Legacy names like Avon, Mary Kay, Herbalife, Pampered Chef and Tupperware are nudging the sales conversation out of the living room and into the feed. Their fields are using Facebook Live events that feel like digital parties; short-form demos on Instagram Reels and TikTok; and social shops where customers can tap a tagged product and buy on the spot.

Others, like MONAT, Beauty Society and Arbonne, are leaning into a more influencer-style approach.

Their distributors look and act a lot like creators— curating “get ready with me” routines, posting before-and-after transformations and building audiences that extend well beyond their immediate friends and family.

Meanwhile, companies such as Scentsy, Color Street, Norwex and Lemongrass Spa are turning Facebook groups and recurring live “parties” into 24/7 social commerce environments.

Corporate teams are creating improved social assets, link-in-bio tools, simplified mobile enrollment and starter kits designed to be “Instagram ready.”

MONAT has even gone a step further, creating an official TikTok shop. All of that is a step in the right direction. And the through line is clear: leading companies are designing from the reality of social commerce, not merely trying to adapt to it.

They start with a clear understanding of where and how the customer experiences the brand— most often in a feed, a live, a short video or a community—and then work backward to ensure that content, community and checkout are as seamless as possible.

Strategic Questions Every Company Must Answer As social commerce moves from experiment to expectation, a few strategic questions become unavoidable.

1 / Ownership Who owns the customer relationship? When a sale happens inside a social platform, how much data does the company actually receive? How will we continue the conversation after the first purchase if we do not have reliable access to that customer?

Direct selling has always prized lifetime value and long-term consumption; that requires a plan to bring customers into assets we own—communities, apps, email lists—even as we meet them on the platforms they prefer.

2 / Identity Are our top field leaders primarily distributors or are they increasingly creators? If they function like creators, do our tools, policies and compensation reflect that reality? Do we help them build personal brands that can live across platforms, or do we confine them to duplicating corporate content?

And are we prepared for a reality where someone with creator-level reach may expect creator‑level economics?

3 / Risk Platform risk is now business risk. A change in algorithm, an update that deprioritizes external links, a new fee structure for in-app checkout—these are not small adjustments. They can materially affect volume patterns. Companies that over-concentrate their activity on a single platform may find themselves vulnerable overnight. Diversification—along with thoughtful investment in owned digital infrastructure— is now a strategic necessity, not a luxury.

4 / Culture Our channel has always been about community, mentorship and personal growth. As the environment speeds up and the medium shifts from in-person to digital, how do we preserve that DNA? The most successful companies are using technology to deepen community—not replace it—by creating spaces for coaching, recognition and collaboration that are as intentional online as they once were in hotel ballrooms.

Here to Stay Social commerce is not a trend on the horizon. It is the environment our field is already operating in today. The question is not whether direct selling will participate. It already does. The real question is whether we will participate by default or by design.

In a world where the “party” is now a live stream; the “guest list” is now an algorithmic feed; and the “host” may be a distributor, a creator or the brand itself—we have a choice to make. We can treat social commerce as a set of new tools tacked onto an old model. Or we can recognize it for what it truly is: a fundamental shift in how people discover, evaluate and purchase—and then intentionally engineer our companies to feel native in that world.

Direct selling has never grown by playing defense.

It has grown when leaders had the courage to rethink the model, not just update the language.

Social commerce, properly understood, is not a threat to direct selling’s future. It is the proving ground for it. The same principles that built this channel—trust, relationship, storytelling, community— sit at the very center of this new landscape.

The companies best positioned for future growth will be the ones that stop asking, “How do we add social commerce to what we already do?” and ask instead, “How do we redesign what we do so that it belongs in social commerce?”

That is a conversation worth having. And the time to have it is now. DSN STUART JOHNSON has served the direct selling industry for nearly 40 years. His passion for the channel encompasses a broader commitment to build and connect the direct selling community through exclusive industry events such as Direct Selling University and the DSN Global Celebration.

Stuart is arguably the most connected person in direct selling. He has built an impressive and growing network of executives, thought leaders, strategists and innovators. His advice and counsel are sought after by leaders throughout the channel. d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 5 3

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I n n ovati o n at S c a l e HOW INNOVATION SH A PED DIREC T SELLING’ S PA S T, DRI V E S ITS PRE SENT

& DEFINE S ITS FU T U RE

BY D S N E D ITO R I A L S TA FF

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N N O V AT I O N H A S B E E N T H E H E A R T B E AT O F D I R E C T S E L L I N G F O R M O R E T H A N 1 5 0 Y E A R S . It is what transformed

a door-to-door book business into a $200 billion global industry that now spans wellness, beauty, home, energy, real estate, financial services and travel. And it is what must carry us forward again.

We find ourselves at an inflection point. Economic pressures are

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The Legacy: Innovators Who Built the Channel From its earliest years, direct selling has been fueled by pioneers who redefined

squeezing margins, and many leaders are weighing how best to

what commerce could look like.

navigate converging challenges while positioning for growth. The lesson

Their stories remind us that

from our own history is clear: this channel has never survived by playing

innovation has never been

defense. It has thrived when leaders dared to innovate—investing in research, ideas and models that were different, defensible and built for the future.

The purpose of this reflection is not to rehash old stories. It is to remind us that every era of growth in our industry was born from innovation—and to challenge today’s leaders to make the same choice.

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optional—it has always been the differentiator.

JAMES ROBINSON GRAVES / SOUTHWESTERN

CARL & ADOLF VORWERK / VORWERK

1855

1883

A Baptist minister and publisher, JAMES ROBINSON GRAVES founded what became Southwestern with a mission to put books and Bibles directly into people’s hands. He organized students and independent sellers to earn their way through school by going door-to-door, teaching them scripts, territory management, financial discipline and the rhythms of seasonal selling. What began as a publishing venture evolved into a training ground for entrepreneurship.

Over time, Southwestern became synonymous with personal growth through enterprise.

Generations of students credit the experience with building confidence, grit and communication skills that shaped their future careers. The company’s culture emphasized accountability, mentorship and character development—turning each summer’s sales program into a rite of passage.

Today, Southwestern Advantage continues that legacy as part of the broader Southwestern Family of Companies, helping students across the globe build business skills, resilience and financial independence.

Founded in Wuppertal, Germany, Vorwerk began as a carpet and textile manufacturer before transforming into one of the most enduring direct selling enterprises in the world. In 1929, it introduced the Kobold vacuum cleaner, pioneering a new category in home cleaning.

By 1961, Vorwerk had launched the VKM5 multifunction kitchen mixer, and in 1971 it unveiled the first true Thermomix, an all-in-one appliance that combined mixing and heating functions, earning it a spot on the countertops of millions of kitchens worldwide.

Over time, Thermomix became a global phenomenon, pairing technology, training and community into a kitchen revolution, while Kobold remained a trusted pillar of home care. The company also founded akf bank in 1968. Today, it counts among Germany’s largest leasing and financing companies.

Vorwerk’s reach spans more than 60 countries, anchored by Thermomix and Kobold and in 2024 reported revenues of approximately $4.1 billion, coming in at #5 on DSN’s Global 100 List.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Southwestern transformed selling into a vehicle for character and confidence, proving that commerce could cultivate human potential. By embedding mentorship and purpose into every transaction, it set the precedent for relationship-driven selling.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Vorwerk proved that even in durable goods, direct selling could thrive by making high-performing appliances personal, experiential and community-driven.

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DAVID H. MCCONNELL / AVO N 1886 Avon began when book salesman DAVID H. MCCONNELL noticed his perfume samples were more popular than the books. In 1886, he pivoted to launch the California Perfume Company—later renamed Avon—and built it on a radical idea: empowering women as selling partners at a time when few professional opportunities existed for them.

The company’s “Avon Ladies” became cultural icons, carrying products door-to-door, building trust through relationships and service. This model gave women dignity, independence and income long before they had the right to vote or widespread access to the workforce. Avon’s system of recognition, incentives and community transformed selling into a source of pride.

Over the decades, Avon expanded globally, reaching more than 100 countries and recruiting tens of millions of representatives. At its peak, the company generated over $10 billion in annual revenue, making it one of the largest beauty brands in the world.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Avon normalized flexible entrepreneurship for women decades before the broader workforce caught up. By linking beauty with opportunity, it proved that direct selling could deliver both products and pathways to independence.

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ALFRED C. FULLER / FULLER BRUSH 1906 ALFRED C. FULLER started Fuller Brush in Hartford, Connecticut in 1906 from a basement workshop, selling brushes door-to-door. From early on, the innovation wasn’t just the product—it was the direct connection between the Fuller Brush Man and households, delivering quality tools with personal service and turning the ritual of home cleaning into a meaningful direct selling experience.

Fuller built trust by requiring agents to sign a pledge: “I will be courteous; I will be kind; I will be sincere; I will be helpful.” Over the decades, Fuller diversified its offering beyond brushes and brooms to include household cleaners, cosmetics (via its Débutante line) and personal care, while adapting its sales model.

Fuller Brush was among the first to introduce female agents (“Fullerettes”) to its field in the 1940s and later evolved toward modern direct selling and distributor models in the late 20th century.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: By embedding service, trust and personalization into every customer visit, Fuller Brush demonstrated that direct selling’s power lies not just in what you sell, but how you deliver.

JIM KIRBY / KIRBY

F R A N K S TA N L E Y B E V E R I D G E & C AT H E R I N E O ’ B R I E N / S TA N L E Y H O M E P R O D U C T S

1920

1931

Inventor JIM KIRBY refined early vacuum designs, and by 1920 he had formalized distribution of his home cleaning machines through direct selling.

Kirby’s approach combined durable, upgradeable systems with in-home demonstrations to showcase versatility—and over time, the vacuum evolved to encompass multiple attachments for shampooing, polishing and more. The product’s adaptability and longevity made Kirby more than a tool—it became a symbol of enduring household quality and pride.

By the mid-20th century, owning a Kirby was a statement—consumers invested once and expected longevity and attentive service in return. Today, Kirby continues operations under Right Lane Industries (which acquired it from Berkshire Hathaway in 2021).

The company still sells via independent distributors and in-home demonstrations, sustaining its model even as consumer purchasing trends evolve. Kirby proved that even high-ticket, durable items can become status symbols for customers.

FRANK STANLEY BEVERIDGE founded Stanley Home Products in 1931 in Westfield, Massachusetts, adopting direct selling in 1938. What set Stanley apart was its introduction of the “hostess party plan”—a fresh alternative to door-to-door sales that brought people together for product demonstrations in a social setting.

Stanley’s product lines spanned more than 220 home care and personal care SKUs—laundry, floor care, fragrance, cleaning tools—designed to be demonstrated and explained in the home.

Along the way, its party format helped shape the careers of direct selling visionaries like Brownie Wise, Mary Kay Ash and Mary Crowley, who went on to adapt and scale the approach for their own companies. CATHERINE O’BRIEN’s leadership signaled early on that women could be not just participants but pioneers in shaping the industry’s direction.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: By making cleaning a demonstrable experience rather than a transaction, Kirby anchored its brand in credibility—and showed that value in product performance and demonstration could reinforce one another.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Stanley Home Products showed that the real innovation wasn’t just in the products, but how they were shared. By transforming sales into a social event, it proved that direct selling could be built on connection and community as much as on the merchandise itself.

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Founded in 1945 by J.O. RIEGAL, Regal Ware began as a Midwestern cookware manufacturer with a simple promise: making durable, high-quality stainless steel accessible to families. Rather than focusing solely on its own retail brand, Regal Ware became an umbrella manufacturer for much of the direct selling channel, producing private-label and co-branded cookware for a wide range of companies.

Its strength was quiet innovation—multi-ply metal construction, precision lids and consistent quality that direct selling companies could confidently demonstrate in homes around the world. As party‑plan and in-home demo models grew, Regal Ware supplied the tools that made those experiences work, from everyday pots and pans to specialized waterless systems.

The 1979 acquisition of Saladmaster further cemented Regal Ware’s role at the intersection of manufacturing and direct selling, marrying production expertise with an education-driven field organization.

1946

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Regal Ware proved that behind-the-scenes manufacturing partners can be powerful innovators, enabling multiple direct selling brands to scale with reliable, demonstrable products that stand up to everyday use—and to the spotlight of the kitchen table.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Saladmaster proved that cookware could be more than a commodity— it could be a platform for teaching healthier lifestyles. By pairing innovation in product design with education-first demonstrations, it positioned direct selling as a driver of both better meals and better living.

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Founded in 1946 by HARRY LEMMONS, Saladmaster introduced waterless cookware—a stainless-steel system that allowed food to be prepared with little or no added water, preserving nutrients and flavor.

In the postwar era, when processed foods were on the rise, Saladmaster’s message of “better cooking for better living” stood out.

The company built its growth on in-home cooking demonstrations, where advisors prepared full meals to showcase both the cookware’s performance and a healthier way of eating. Kitchens became classrooms as hosts learned about low-moisture cooking, vegetable retention and portion balance.

That experiential approach created community as well as sales, with recipes, classes and word-ofmouth extending the brand far beyond the party.

In 1979, Saladmaster was acquired by Regal Ware, gaining additional manufacturing strength and global reach while keeping its education-first mission intact.

EARL TUPPER & BROWNIE W I S E / T U P P E RWA R E 1946 EARL TUPPER patented his airtight “burp” seal in 1946, solving everyday food storage problems with a design that created an entirely new product category. But it was BROWNIE WISE, beginning in 1951, who unlocked the market by pioneering the party‑plan demonstration.

In living rooms across America, hosts showcased how the seal worked; turned customers into consultants; and transformed buying into a social event. Wise’s leadership also broke barriers— she became the first woman to appear on the cover of Business Week in 1954, a milestone in business history.

From the 1950s onward, Tupperware scaled into a global powerhouse, reaching more than 100 countries and becoming one of the most recognized household brands in the world. Millions of families owned its brightly colored bowls and containers, while its parties became cultural shorthand for social commerce.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Wise institutionalized recognition, training and culture—travel, rallies, trophies—so the salesforce felt seen and celebrated.

This formula became a template for countless companies. Product innovation created a category.

Go-to-market innovation created a movement.

ALCOA & CASE C U T L E R Y ( L AT E R C U T C O C O R P O R AT I O N ) 1949 Founded in Olean, New York, in 1949, Cutco entered the market with a promise that became its hallmark: a Forever Guarantee on every knife. This durability pledge distinguished the brand in an era of disposable goods, turning its cutlery into family heirlooms passed from one generation to the next and creating treasured traditions and memories built around kitchen tables.

Another clear differentiator was the company’s student sales force. By recruiting and training college students to demonstrate knives in homes, Cutco not only created a consistent channel for growth but also gave hundreds of thousands of young people a first experience in sales, entrepreneurship and personal development. By standing behind its products forever and mobilizing students as a force for growth, Cutco built both resilience and reach into its DNA. Today, Cutco has sold more than 100 million knives and continues to be the largest manufacturer of kitchen cutlery in North America.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Cutco proved that even in a mature, commoditized category like kitchen knives, innovation in guarantee and go-to-market model could create staying power.

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DR. FORREST C. SHAKLEE / SHAKLEE 1956 A wellness visionary, DR. FORREST SHAKLEE introduced one of the first multivitamin formulations and insisted that products be grounded in nature and validated by science. Decades before “clean” and “green” became mainstream, Shaklee advanced the idea that everyday nutrition and non-toxic household products could greatly improve lives and profoundly protect the planet. His fusion of scientific credibility and environmental mindfulness positioned the company as a forerunner of the modern wellness movement.

Equally innovative was the company’s education‑first selling culture. Consultants didn’t just sell—they taught, sampled and followed up, turning product knowledge into loyalty and long-term consumption. This emphasis on education built deep trust and steady reorder behavior, setting an early standard for customer retention through service and transparency.

Today, Shaklee holds the distinction of being a Certified B Corporation, reflecting its enduring commitment to sustainability, accountability and purpose-driven business.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Shaklee shifted the channel from one-time purchases to recurring, wellness-based consumption—and pioneered environmental stewardship as a business differentiator, proving that doing good and doing well could coexist.

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MARY CROWLEY / HOME INTERIORS & GIFTS 1957 MARY CROWLEY founded Home Interiors & Gifts with a simple but transformative vision: to empower women through the sale of home décor in a party-plan setting that turned social connection into economic opportunity. Her model centered on affordable, stylish décor—art prints, candles, floral arrangements and accessories—that made beautiful homes accessible to the middle class.

Crowley’s genius wasn’t just in product selection but in creating an environment where women could thrive professionally and personally. She placed faith, family and recognition at the heart of the business, fostering a culture of encouragement and belonging.

At its peak, Home Interiors became a cultural phenomenon, with tens of thousands of consultants across North America and billions in cumulative sales. Crowley’s leadership blended business acumen with heartfelt mentorship, proving that success could be both profitable and purposeful.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Crowley extended the party-plan model into lifestyle and home décor. By combining accessible products with a mission‑driven culture, Home Interiors became one of the largest direct selling companies of its kind, giving countless women both financial opportunity and personal growth.

Courtesy of Mary Kay Inc.

RICH DEVOS & J AY V A N A N D E L / A M W AY 1959 After cutting their teeth distributing Nutrilite supplements, RICH DEVOS and JAY VAN ANDEL launched Amway in 1959 with a simple product (LOC cleaner) and a sophisticated idea: scalable support. They formalized training, leadership development and a compensation structure that rewarded both personal production and team development, turning independent sellers into business owners.

In 1972, Amway acquired Nutrilite, bringing into the fold one of the earliest multivitamin supplement brands and reinforcing wellness as its foundation.

Amway’s global extended portfolio also includes brands like Artistry, eSpring and XS. Amway is truly a household name, standing for integrity, hard work and philanthropy around the globe. Amway is #1 on the DSN Global 100 List with $7.4 billion in revenue in 2024.

DeVos and Van Andel carried the banner of free enterprise worldwide, advocating for the value of direct selling and shaping the channel’s global reputation, a legacy that still resonates today.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Amway’s genius was systems—not just SKUs. Its global expansion, vertical integration and the strategic Nutrilite acquisition created permanence in wellness and home care.

M A R Y K AY A S H / M A R Y K AY 1963 MARY KAY ASH took the spark ignited by Stanley, Avon and Home Interiors and built an empire rooted in purpose, recognition and possibility around it. Frustrated by the lack of entrepreneurial opportunities for women, she launched Mary Kay with a vision: to elevate women to be the driving force of the business. She reframed sales as service and recognition as rocket fuel.

Empowering women through personal development, coaching, celebrating and promoting became the central strategy for the company.

The iconic pink Cadillacs became symbols of independence and achievement, while consultant education and party-plan demonstrations made beauty personal, social and repeatable.

Her “Golden Rule” philosophy—treating others as you wish to be treated—shaped a culture that blended empathy with excellence, setting new standards for recognition, mentorship and leadership. Today, Mary Kay products are sold in more than 40 markets internationally.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Mary Kay placed women firmly at the center of the business. By elevating their roles as entrepreneurs, leaders and achievers, she proved that culture and community could be competitive advantages.

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L U I Z S E A B R A / N AT U R A , B 3 : N AT U 3 ( B R A Z I L ) 1969 In Brazil, LUIZ SEABRA and co-founders fused high-performing beauty with purpose long before Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) was coined. Natura elevated botanicals and biodiversity from the Amazon, investing heavily in scientific R&D and building sustainable sourcing partnerships that respected both communities and ecosystems. The company pioneered the use of natural ingredients within rigorous scientific frameworks, transforming regional flora into globally admired formulations.

Natura also professionalized the consultant experience—combining beauty education, environmental awareness and brand storytelling rooted in ethos as much as efficacy. Today, Natura operates in more than 100 countries, reaching millions of customers and consultants worldwide.

A certified B Corporation since 2014, Natura is the parent company of Avon’s Latin American business, including operations in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru and other markets. This footprint makes Natura one of the world’s most impactful beauty brands. The company ranks #4 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $4.2 billion.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Natura taught the channel that values can be a scalable asset—and that you can build global brands by aligning product innovation with environmental and social stewardship.

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GENE & KRISTINE HUGHES / N AT U R E ’ S S U N S H I N E , N A S D A Q : N AT R 1972 What began with one couple encapsulating cayenne pepper at their kitchen table evolved into a company that helped define modern herbal supplementation. Nature’s Sunshine brought scientific rigor to natural health, pioneering encapsulation, ingredient transparency and in-house manufacturing in an era when “herbal” still meant fringe.

Decades before wellness became mainstream, the HUGHES FAMILY positioned the brand around education and empowerment, teaching distributors to understand both product and purpose. They built a culture rooted in trust, authenticity and sciencebacked communication—ensuring that every consultant could confidently explain not just what to take, but why it worked. This mindset turned early skepticism into loyalty, laying the foundation for an enduring global presence.

Today, Nature’s Sunshine remains a pioneer in clean-label manufacturing and sustainable sourcing, serving customers in more than 40 countries. They are #25 on the DSN Global 100 List with revenue of $454 million in 2024.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Nature’s Sunshine proved that natural wellness could be both credible and scalable. It gave legitimacy to a category— and a profession—that would reshape the supplement industry.

REX MAUGHAN / FOREVER LIVING 1978 REX MAUGHAN saw potential in aloe vera decades before it became a wellness mainstay. In 1978, he founded Forever Living around the belief that nature’s most versatile plant could serve as the cornerstone of a global wellness brand. The company pioneered aloe-based nutrition, skincare and personal care, creating formulations that introduced the ingredient to consumers long before “plant-based” became a marketing trend.

What made Forever Living truly distinctive was its vertical integration model. Maughan built a proprietary supply chain system that spanned aloe plantations, processing facilities and manufacturing operations, ensuring control over quality, consistency and sustainability at every stage.

This approach not only safeguarded the plant’s purity but also demonstrated how ownership of the full production cycle could become a long-term competitive advantage.

Today, Forever Living operates in over 140 countries with millions of distributors and customers worldwide, continuing to expand the reach of aloe-based wellness.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Forever Living didn’t just sell aloe vera—it brought aloe to the mainstream, proving that one powerful natural ingredient—combined with proprietary supply chain control—could anchor a global wellness brand.

PETTER MØRCK / ARBONNE 1980 Founded in Switzerland and launched in the United States in 1980, Arbonne brought European botanical principles to modern wellness long before “clean” and “plant-based” became popular. At the heart of its formulations was aloe vera, used as a core ingredient for hydration, soothing and nourishment across skincare, nutrition and personal care.

PETTER MØRCK envisioned a company where beauty, health and wellness were inseparable—and where ingredient integrity defined success.

Over four decades later, Arbonne continues to blend plant-based innovation with ethical business practices, maintaining vegan formulations and rigorous sustainability standards. Its community of independent consultants shares more than products—they share a holistic approach to well-being rooted in balance, mindfulness and environmental stewardship.

In January 2026, Arbonne will open its new global headquarters, a milestone that reflects its continued growth and investment in people, purpose and planet. Recognized as a Certified B Corporation, Arbonne remains a model for transparent, sustainable entrepreneurship.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Arbonne proved that performance and purity can coexist, setting the standard for the modern, botanically powered wellness company.

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MARK HUGHES / HERBALIFE, NYSE: HLF 1980 When MARK HUGHES launched Herbalife in 1980, he envisioned nutrition made simple, social and accessible for everyday consumers. He built the company around repeatable programs anchored in coaching, community and visible results. Hughes championed the idea of daily consumption and persistent follow-up, reinforced by rallies and recognition events that made healthy living a movement rather than a product pitch.

Equally central to Herbalife’s rise was its emphasis on personal development. Hughes invited motivational leader Jim Rohn to train and inspire distributors, infusing the organization with a culture of mindset, mentorship and belief in human potential. That focus became a defining hallmark of Herbalife’s identity.

Today, Herbalife operates in 94 countries, serving millions of customers and independent distributors.

It ranks #2 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $5 billion, underscoring its enduring scale and global relevance.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Herbalife made wellness both social and measurable, while later innovations like nutrition clubs translated the model into community hubs. More importantly, Herbalife streamlined the sharing process into easy, actionable steps any distributor could quickly embrace and master.

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DORIS CHRISTOPHER / P A M P E R E D C H E F, NYSE: BRK.A / BRK.B 1980 When DORIS CHRISTOPHER founded Pampered Chef in 1980, she reimagined how people discovered kitchenware. Her “kitchen show” concept turned product demonstrations into shared experiences—where guests could see tools in action, taste recipes and learn new cooking skills in a relaxed, social setting. Consultants became culinary coaches, transforming household demonstrations into moments of confidence, connection and empowerment rather than solely sales opportunities.

This approach democratized home cooking and bridged the gap between education and sales. Over the decades, Pampered Chef refined the model, introducing innovative cookware and practical time-saving tools designed for real families. As technology reshaped behavior, the company transitioned seamlessly to digital platforms—hosting virtual kitchen shows, interactive recipes and online communities that preserved its personal touch in a modern format.

In 2002, its acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway gave Pampered Chef the long-term backing to sustain innovation while maintaining its valuesbased culture and consultant-first ethos.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Pampered Chef pioneered experiential, education-driven selling in the home and reimagined it digitally decades later—demonstrating that consumer engagement is the ultimate ingredient.

GRAEME CLEGG / N E W I M A G E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 1984 Aspiring entrepreneur and sheep farmer GRAEME CLEGG founded New Image International in 1984 with a vision to harness colostrum—nature’s first food—for immune health. Long before the ingredient gained scientific attention, he saw its potential as a nutrient-dense natural resource and built a wellness enterprise around its benefits.

With the launch of the Alpha Lipid line, New Image became one of the first companies to bring colostrum-based nutrition to market at scale, establishing both a viable category and a loyal following across the Asia-Pacific region.

The company coupled innovation with scientific validation and distributor education, enabling representatives to confidently present products with credibility and authority.

Today, New Image operates in more than 20 countries around the world and ranks #38 on the DSN Global 100 List, reporting 2024 revenue of $261 million.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: By pioneering colostrum and elevating immune health, New Image not only created a new product category but also demonstrated how a science‑backed, ingredient‑first strategy could drive both credibility and long-term resilience in the wellness space.

B L A K E R O N E Y, S A N D I E TILLOTSON & STEVE LUND / NU SKIN, NYSE: NUS 1984 Nu Skin launched with a focus on premium, science-backed personal care and later expanded into nutrition and wellness globally. Its biggest differentiator, however, has been its implementation of devices—beauty and wellness tools like the ageLOC LumiSpa iO that pair consumables with hardware to deepen engagement while garnering awards and recognition around the world.

Nu Skin’s commitment to innovation has paid off: it has been ranked the world’s number one beauty device systems brand for multiple consecutive years

by Euromonitor and has received recognition for innovation from the Edison Awards and others.

A billion-dollar company, Nu Skin is #11 on the DSN Global 100 List with revenue of $1.7 billion in 2024.

By earning external industry accolades for its beauty technology, the company showed that innovation in format (devices plus consumables) can elevate brand credibility; create defendable differentiation; and rewrite what a wellness company can be.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Nu Skin proved that direct selling could successfully integrate devices into its model—and not just compete, but thrive, and ultimately—lead.

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FRANK VANDERSLOOT / MELALEUCA 1985 When FRANK VANDERSLOOT founded Melaleuca in 1985, he helped introduce tea tree oil to the global market, transforming a niche botanical into a cornerstone of natural wellness. Building on that foundation, the company expanded into nutrition, personal care and eco-friendly household products, all centered on the idea that everyday items could support healthier lifestyles.

VanderSloot combined this ingredient-led innovation with a value-driven pricing model, emphasizing fairness, accessibility and loyalty.

Rather than relying on high-pressure sales, Melaleuca developed a membership shopping club that rewarded repeat purchases and customer retention—an approach that predated modern subscription and auto-ship trends.

Equally distinct was its financially conservative culture. VanderSloot promoted debt-free business practices and personally attended mortgage burnings for top distributors, reinforcing Melaleuca’s belief in financial independence as a measure of success. Today, Melaleuca operates in more than 20 countries.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Melaleuca’s innovations combined ingredient leadership with customer‑centric pricing and a values-based culture. By aligning affordability, loyalty programs and financial prudence, it created one of the most durable product-driven growth models in the channel.

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JORGE VERGARA / OMNILIFE 1991 JORGE VERGARA launched Omnitrition de México in 1991 (later rebranded as OMNILIFE in 2000) with the vision of combining health products with life transformation. What set OMNILIFE apart was its “Multidesarrollo” or multi-development philosophy: not just product consumption, but personal growth— financial, emotional and professional—as a core part of the opportunity.

From its early days distributing nutritional supplements, OMNILIFE built momentum across Latin America and beyond—growing its “aliados” (distributors) base into millions. In Mexico alone, it now employs thousands. It also operates major manufacturing plants in Mexico and Colombia with a US plant opening soon. OMNILIFE is in 20 countries and offers more than 300 products in nutrition and personal care. It is #20 on the DSN Global 100 List with $584 million in revenue.

By pairing wellness products with opportunities for growth, belonging and recognition, OMNILIFE transformed direct selling into a movement rooted in a philosophy of holistic well-being and human connection.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: OMNILIFE embedded personal development into its business model, aligning with the strong cultural values of community and family that define much of Hispanic and Latino life.

BJØRN NICOLAISEN & D E B B I E B O LT O N / N O R W E X 1994

ROLF SORG / P M - I N T E R N AT I O N A L 1993 PM-International, founded by ROLF SORG, remains one of the largest direct selling companies in health and wellness, with 33 consecutive years of growth and over $3 billion in revenue across 45 markets.

The company currently sits at #6 on the DSN Global 100 List and has won the Bravo International Growth Award five years running.

Its flagship FitLine nutrition series was built on cutting-edge research in cellular nutrition and bio-availability. Quality products are at the core of PM-International’s success—they are poised to go over one billion products sold soon. What sets PM-International apart is its discipline of continuous product refinement: formulas are deliberately rotated and constantly improved, ensuring the story is never static.

The company is expanding into the Americas in a big way, with a new headquarters for the region in Sarasota, Florida that opened in November 2025.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: By institutionalizing reinvestment and innovation, PM-International created a model that keeps its products fresh; its field energized; and its growth consistent—an uncommon feat in a channel where many products remain unchanged for decades.

Norwex began in Norway when attorney BJØRN NICOLAISEN discovered the potential of an advanced microfiber cloth that cleaned with only water—eliminating the need for harsh chemicals and reducing environmental waste. What started as a practical innovation quickly evolved into a mission-driven brand built around the idea of creating a safer, cleaner home.

In the late 1990s, DEBBIE BOLTON introduced Norwex to North America, where she helped shape the company’s consultant culture and long-term growth strategy. Her focus on recognition, education and community created a field environment grounded in purpose and empowerment. Together, Nicolaisen’s innovation and Bolton’s leadership bridged science, sustainability and social selling.

Over time, Norwex expanded beyond cleaning cloths into personal care and eco-friendly home products, aligning with consumer demand for greener, chemical-free living. Today, the company operates in more than 20 countries, supporting tens of thousands of consultants and millions of customers worldwide.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: By pairing Nicolaisen’s product innovation with Bolton’s cultural leadership in North America, the company transformed a microfiber cloth into a global movement for healthier homes.

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D. G A RY YO U N G & M A RY YO U N G / YO U N G L I V I N G

D R . G U S TA V O B O U N O U S & D R . P AT R I C I A K O N G S H A V N / IMMUNOTEC

1994

1996

Young Living mainstreamed essential oils with a simple but powerful promise—purity and provenance—supported by its vertically integrated “Seed to Seal” process. From seed planting to distillation and final bottling, D. GARY AND MARY YOUNG gained a deep understanding of their supply chain, ensuring authenticity and traceability in a category often lacking both. This commitment built deep consumer trust in product integrity and established a new benchmark for transparency.

Education was equally critical. Young Living’s distributors taught the benefits of essential oils through workshops and community classes, transforming aromatherapy from a niche practice into a global wellness movement.

Now, with the launch of Wyld Notes, Young Living is reimagining how its next generation of customers connects to wellness. The new brand introduces an affiliate model—bridging community and creator economies to reach younger audiences through digital storytelling, scent and lifestyle. It marks a bold evolution for a legacy brand rooted in authenticity.

Medical researchers GUSTAVO BOUNOUS and PATRICIA KONGSHAVN founded Immunotec to bring decades of advanced glutathione research to consumers. From the outset, the company centered its mission on a single science-backed innovation— Immunocal—which has remained the foundation of the brand for nearly 30 years.

Immuotec’s rare discipline and focus established credibility through global patents, clinical validation and long-term consistency. Rather than chasing trends, the company expanded deliberately, introducing targeted formulations that built upon its core science in immune health.

In 2017, CEO Mauricio Domenzain, acquired Immunotec and took it private—unlocking an accelerated growth phase marked by substantial investment in manufacturing, technology and infrastructure. Since then, the company has expanded its footprint across Europe, Latin America and the United States.

By remaining anchored in its scientific foundation while executing thoughtful product and geographic expansion, Immunotec has demonstrated how innovation rooted in discipline can deliver enduring credibility and sustained momentum.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: The innovation was equal parts supply chain and story. By mastering the process end-to-end and equipping customers with knowledge, Young Living turned essential oils into a global wellness movement.

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BREAKING NEW GROUND: Immunotec pioneered glutathione supplementation, then showed how steady product focus paired with bold ownership change could fuel reinvention.

JONI ROGERS-KANTE / SENEGENCE

DAVID SCHMIDT / L I F E WAV E

1999

2004

JONI ROGERS-KANTE built a thriving business with Mary Kay, rising through the ranks and learning first-hand how recognition, community and perseverance could transform lives. That experience gave her both the confidence and the conviction to launch her own company, SeneGence. In 1999, she introduced LipSense, a long-wearing, smudgeresistant liquid lip color that struck a chord with consumers and consultants alike.

From that single innovation, SeneGence expanded into a global cosmetics and skincare enterprise. Yet LipSense remains its cornerstone— having generated more than $2 billion in cumulative revenue and defining a category of durable, highperformance beauty.

Beyond its products, SeneGence is known for its supportive culture and philanthropy, with RogersKante championing initiatives that empower women, fund education and advance community well-being. Her leadership style—grounded in gratitude, mentorship and service—has helped foster a company that values both personal success and collective purpose.

LifeWave demonstrates how sustained R&D and defensible IP can create breakout growth.

Its hero product, the X39 phototherapy patch, is made to reflect body-emitted light and support healthy energy and physical performance without stimulants. This innovative wearable has helped power the company’s trajectory.

LifeWave is also pushing into hydration with X2O: Light-Infused Water, a cutting-edge system combining dual-stage filtration, hydrogen enrichment and patented light infusion. X2O is designed to amplify the effects of LifeWave’s patch technology, integrating into daily wellness routines in a way that stretches across multiple categories.

Between 2018 and 2024, revenue jumped from less than $20 million to $555 million (#22 on the DSN Global 100), representing roughly 3,000 percent growth. With more than 200 global patents, the company has built a deeply defensible product portfolio and won a DSN Bravo Innovation Award.

LifeWave and its founder DAVID SCHMIDT champions innovation not only in what it sells—it’s innovating in how it builds.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: SeneGence proved that a hero beauty product—backed by a founder who combined direct selling success with a values‑driven approach—could validate an entire business model.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: LifeWave’s culture around multiple patches, synergistic products and even cross-collaboration with related ventures like Thunderstrike—a humanitarian drone project designed to deliver aid to disaster zones—reflects a team pushing boundaries. d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 7 1

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ORVILLE & HEIDI THOMPSON / SCENTSY 2004 ORVILLE AND HEIDI THOMPSON launched Scentsy with a singular focus on wickless wax and warmers, pairing fragrance innovation with a people-first culture, standing out for its authentic scent experiences and warm, personal consultant interactions.

A landmark step was Scentsy’s multi-year relationship with Disney via licensed warmers, wax bars and Scentsy Buddies that brought beloved characters into homes. These co-branded collections demonstrated how storytelling and nostalgia could deepen loyalty and keep the catalog feeling fresh season after season.

In 2025, Scentsy took another bold step with the launch of Scentsy Candles. Once known only for flame-free fragrance, the company is now expanding to “own the fragrance ritual” across warmers, diffusers, fan systems and candles.

Today, it operates in more than 10 countries with over 200,000 independent consultants and sits at #24 on the DSN Global 100 List with $472 million in annual revenue.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Scentsy proved that authenticity itself can be an innovation. By layering licensed collections and moving into mainstream candles, it showed how a direct selling brand can evolve while staying true to its soul.

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ØRJAN & HILDE SÆLE / ZINZINO, NASDAQ FIRST NORTH: ZZ B (SWEDEN) 2005 Zinzino positioned itself as a pioneer of test-based nutrition, making personalization its defining innovation. Its flagship BalanceTest (a dried blood spot test that measures omega-6/omega-3 ratios) and companion BalanceOil blend embodied its philosophy: “test, don’t guess.” Over time, the company expanded its testing portfolio to include gut health, vitamin D and HbA1c, deepening its credibility as a science-first wellness brand.

Zinzino has also leaned into bold expansion, weaving their distributors and product lines into its test-driven ecosystem. In 2025, the company reported year-over-year growth of over 50 percent, underscoring momentum behind its scienceanchored approach. This approach has led to undeniable results—the company ranked #44 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $200 million.

By combining precise diagnostics with tailored nutrition, Zinzino bridged the gap between science and everyday wellness, transforming supplementation from routine consumption into a data-driven health experience.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Zinzino reframed the role of direct selling in nutrition by embedding scientific testing and proof into the customer journey. Instead of just distributing supplements, it champions personalized health data—turning validation into the ultimate differentiator.

DAVID STIRLING, GREGORY C O O K , E M I LY W R I G H T, DR. DAVID HILL, COREY L I N D L E Y & R O B YO U N G / DOTERRA

BRIAN UNDERWOOD / PRÜVIT

2008

2015

Launched by a team of industry veterans, doTERRA quickly became a global leader in essential oils by combining scientific rigor, ethical sourcing and community-based education. The company emphasized Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) standards to ensure potency and purity—settling a new benchmark for quality in an unregulated category.

Through its Co-Impact Sourcing partnerships, doTERRA built sustainable relationships with growers and distillers across more than 45 countries, improving livelihoods while strengthening supply chain transparency.

What further set doTERRA apart was its peoplecentered model. Its independent distributors—known as Wellness Advocates—were trained not just to sell, but to educate, mentor and model holistic living.

That blend of purpose and professionalism fueled rapid expansion.

In just over a decade, doTERRA scaled to billions in annual sales and tens of millions of customers worldwide, ranking #10 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $2 billion.

BRIAN UNDERWOOD and Prüvit entered the wellness space with a bold bet on exogenous ketones, particularly BHB (beta‑hydroxybutyrate) formulas. By positioning itself as a leader in metabolic health and pioneering a new category, Prüvit generated billions in revenue in the past ten years. Its flagship KETO//OS line and derivative blends helped catalyze broader interest in “ketone supplementation” as a category rather than a niche trend.

In April 2025, Prüvit struck a landmark deal: Herbalife agreed to acquire Prüvit’s assets (alongside other related enterprises) in a move that brings ketone supplementation to one of direct selling’s giants. The structure allows Prüvit to continue operating independently, and the integration signals both companies’ belief that ketones may be a strategic growth vertical.

Beyond product innovation, Prüvit cultivated a passionate global community, blending science, lifestyle and personal transformation to turn ketone use into a movement, not just a market.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: doTERRA demonstrated that speed to market, ethical sourcing and education could turn emerging wellness trends into a durable global brand.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Prüvit’s rise popularized ketones as a mainstream wellness category, and its alliance with Herbalife underscores how a specialized innovation can attract acquisition interest—and validate a vertical as worthy of institutional backing. d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 73

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A R M A N D P U Y O LT / VIDA DIVINA

2016

A lifelong wellness advocate and veteran of the channel, ARMAND PUYOLT launched Vida Divina in 2016. Puyolt’s own health journey inspired his belief in natural products and personal transformation, shaping a company rooted in wellness and empowerment. He started Vida Divina specifically to serve the Hispanic/Latino market, where the culture of community and family proved a natural fit for direct selling.

Vida Divina quickly gained traction with products like TeDivina detox tea, expanding into supplements, functional coffees and skincare. In recent years, the company has accelerated growth through strategic acquisitions, including Peruvian brand MIALÉ and US-based Radien—moves that broadened its distributor reach and added advanced skincare science to its portfolio to create a more comprehensive product assortment. Today, Vida Divina operates in more than 50 countries worldwide with hundreds of thousands of distributors.

7k Metals has carved out a unique space in direct selling by blending network marketing with precious metals, collectible coins and modern membership models. The company sells graded coins, bullion and themed collectible pieces, many designed in house or in partnership with reputable mints.

Members benefit from programs like AutoSaver (a recurring coin allocation), secure storage options, wallet tools and curated coin drops.

Leadership recently transitioned with Blake Davis, formerly Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, stepping into the CEO role in August 2025. Former CEO Jayson Arfmann shifted his focus and expertise to helping the company expand internationally, reflecting the company’s accelerating global ambitions and presence. 7k’s success has been phenomenal as they’ve introduced an unprecedented number of new customers to the power of precious metals through their innovative buying platform, where gold and silver can be purchased fractionally and stored securely.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: By simplifying membership, designing distinctive coin lines and providing tools that make precious metals more accessible, 7k has modernized a traditionally niche and regulated category.

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BREAKING NEW GROUND: Vida Divina showed that founder conviction, paired with strategic acquisitions, can create a differentiated path to scale—where personal belief and bold business moves fuel both credibility and growth.

Surging Services If products have given us some of our most visible brands, services are quietly powering some of the industry’s strongest growth. In fact, services have been outperforming products as a category for a decade. The reasons are clear: digital platforms scale quickly; companies don’t have to compete with goliaths like Amazon and Wal-Mart; and subscriptions drive recurring revenue.

HARLAND STONECIPHER /

P P L S I (P R E - PA I D L EG A L / L EG A L S H I E L D) 1972

HARLAND STONECIPHER turned an intimidating, high‑cost category—legal services—into an affordable monthly membership that put professional help within reach of everyday families.

His vision was to “productize peace of mind,” converting what was once a reactive, expensive process into a proactive service built on accessibility and trust.

By creating a nationwide network of attorneys and identity theft specialists, Stonecipher introduced recurring value, predictable revenue and long-term customer loyalty to a traditionally transactional industry.

More than fifty years later, PPLSI stands as a pioneer in subscription-based professional services.

It has evolved into a diversified company offering LegalShield and IDShield, protecting millions of individuals and businesses across North America. Its steady, incremental growth has proven that even in highly regulated sectors, services can be simplified, scaled and personalized.

PPLSI ranks #21 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $561 million.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: PPLSI showed that services removing friction from daily life—like legal and identity protection—can become enduring, trust based memberships. Its innovation proved that subscriptions built on necessity, not luxury, could thrive for generations. d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 75

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ART WILLIAMS / PRIMERICA, NYSE: PRI 1977 ART WILLIAMS pioneered the simple but powerful idea of “buy term and invest the difference,” making financial literacy and affordable protection accessible to middle-income families.

He launched the business in 1977 as A.L. Williams & Associates, building it into one of the fastestgrowing life insurance organizations in the country.

In 1991, the company was renamed Primerica, marking its transition into a broader financial services powerhouse, ultimately going public in 2010.

Perhaps more importantly, he introduced the first tiered compensation model for financial services agents, creating a pathway that rewarded both production and leadership. This system became the forerunner of today’s $12 billion life insurance and broader financial services market in US direct selling. Primerica is #7 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $3.07 billion.

Williams’s vision transformed countless families into first-time investors, proving that empowerment and education could drive both prosperity and purpose in financial services.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Williams proved that a clear mission, combined with pioneering compensation design and simple financial strategies, could reshape an entire category and seamlessly bring Wall Street concepts to Main Street.

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GARY KELLER / KELLER WILLIAMS 1983 When he founded Keller Williams in 1983, GARY KELLER set out to build a company that put agents at the center of success. He pioneered a tiered profit-sharing model that allowed associates to share directly in their office’s financial performance, transforming the traditional brokerage into a collaborative platform for entrepreneurship and growth.

The model was paired with world-class training, mentorship and technology systems, enabling agents to grow sustainable businesses under a shared brand. Keller Williams also cultivated a distinctive culture of transparency and personal growth, reinforcing that collective success could outperform competition.

By the summer of 2024, Keller Williams had paid out over $2 billion in profit sharing to associates and expanded into more than 50 regions worldwide, becoming one of the largest real estate networks on the planet.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Keller Williams introduced a profit-sharing model that rewarded agents for contributing to office growth and performance. While not equity-based, this system created loyalty and drove rapid expansion by giving agents a financial stake in their local office’s success.

EXCEL COMMUNICATIONS

KENNY TROUTT & STEVEN SMITH / E X C E L C O M M U N I C AT I O N S 1988 KENNY TROUTT and STEVEN SMITH recognized a powerful opportunity in the newly deregulated longdistance phone market of the late 1980s. By applying a direct selling model to telecommunications, they enabled everyday representatives to build income through recurring billing—an approach that turned a commodity service into a scalable business.

Within just a few years, the company expanded nationwide, attracting millions of customers and developing one of the largest independent sales forces in the industry. In 1996, Excel achieved a remarkable milestone—it became the youngest company ever listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Annual revenues climbed into the billions, and by the end of the decade, Excel had cemented its place as one of the defining success stories in service-based direct selling.

In November 1998, the company merged with Teleglobe Inc. in a $3.2 billion stock swap, marking one of the largest deals in the channel’s history.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Excel proved that “essential services” could be sold through person‑to-person distribution with residual billing, setting a template many later service innovators would follow.

GREG PROVENZANO, ROBERT STEVANOVSKI, MIKE CUPISZ & TONY CUPISZ / ACN 1993 Founded in 1993, ACN set out to be a reseller of long-distance telecommunications services through direct selling, allowing independent representatives to earn income by helping customers save money on essential services. Over time, the company expanded into cellular service, internet, energy and other recurring household utilities, transforming itself into one of the most diversified service-based direct selling enterprises in the world.

Innovation has long been part of ACN’s DNA. In the early 2000s, it introduced the IRIS video phone, an ambitious product that foreshadowed today’s video communication trends. While that innovation proved short-lived, it demonstrated the company’s willingness to explore new technologies and evolve with changing consumer behavior.

While the company now concentrates solely on US and Canadian markets, its commitment to core services has sustained its relevance for more than three decades. Its steady performance underscores how reliability and simplicity—anchored in essential, repeat-use services—can sustain trust.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: ACN’s true impact was its ability to build a long-lasting business around essential recurring services—telephone, internet, mobile and energy—that customers needed month after month. d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 7 7

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CHARLES WIGODER / U T I L I T Y WA R E H O U S E , LSE: TEP (UK)

JERE THOMPSON, JR. & CHRIS CHAMBLESS / A M B I T E N E R G Y, N Y S E : V S T

1996

2006

Utility Warehouse, the consumer-facing brand of Telecom Plus, disrupted the utilities market by uniting energy, broadband, mobile, landline and insurance under a single monthly bill. In an industry dominated by large corporations and complex tariffs, Utility Warehouse stood out for its clarity, value and trust-based approach. The company empowered everyday people to build income by recommending essential services they already used, turning customers into advocates.

That strategy proved transformative. Partners focused on saving customers money and simplifying their lives, while the bundled model rewarded loyalty. The result was a business that grew organically through word of mouth.

The company has 1.3 million customers and supplies millions of bundled services through the convenience of a single bill, demonstrating the enduring appeal of focus and simplicity. They generated $2.6 billion in annual sales during the fiscal year in just one country. Utility Warehouse is #9 on the DSN Global 100 List, with more than two times the revenue of all UK product companies combined.

Ambit scaled quickly by focusing on deregulated energy markets with straightforward value propositions, simple enrollment and a strong recognition culture. First-to-market programs like customer referral incentives (“free energy”) reinforced viral acquisition, retention and longterm loyalty.

Operating primarily in the United States, Ambit attracted hundreds of thousands of independent consultants and millions of customers, delivering essential services through a network model traditionally associated with wellness or consumer goods. That adaptability became its competitive edge.

The company consistently generated more than $1 billion in annual revenue at its peak and continues to hit that mark today, sitting at #14 on the DSN Global 100 List with 2024 revenue of $1.03 billion. Ambit is now part of Vistra Corp., a publiclytraded energy company, giving it additional scale and stability.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Utility Warehouse showed that essential services could be transformed into a sticky, loyalty-driven membership model.

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BREAKING NEW GROUND: Ambit proved that when the product is an essential service, clarity and convenience are your best marketers. Its ability to build a billion-dollar business largely within just a handful of states underscores how powerful the right model can be in deregulated markets.

GLENN SANFORD / E X P R E A LT Y, N A S D A Q : E X P I

AMANDA TRESS / F A S T E R W AY T O F AT L O S S

2009

2016

GLENN SANFORD took the Keller Williams profit‑sharing model and improved it—transforming profit sharing into revenue sharing and moving the brokerage entirely into the cloud. By eliminating brick-and-mortar offices, eXp radically reduced overhead while giving agents revenue share on transactions.

In 2013, Sanford went a step further, taking the company public and beginning to share equity with the field, accelerating eXp’s revenue dramatically.

This model evolved real estate into one of the largest service categories in direct selling, today representing a $15 billion market in the US. eXp became the model that others scrambled to copy. Today, eXp is recognized as a real estate giant in the US—and by some measures, the world—because of its unified, cloud-based model.

Unlike franchise systems where agents affiliate with independent offices, every agent at eXp belongs to a single brokerage. It is #3 on the DSN Global 100 List with $4.6 billion in revenue in 2024.

Fitness entrepreneur AMANDA TRESS founded FASTer Way to Fat Loss with the vision of combining digital coaching, intermittent fasting, carb cycling and whole-food nutrition into a scalable, technology-driven program.

What set the brand apart was its enhanced affiliate model, empowering health coaches, trainers and everyday advocates with digital tools to build thriving businesses while supporting client transformations. This approach blurred the line between influencer marketing and direct selling, showing how personal brand and purpose could fuel sustainable growth.

FASTer Way’s emphasis on holistic wellness and education has attracted a loyal following among both consumers and entrepreneurs. In 2023, FASTer Way was honored as the first recipient of the Bravo Innovator Award by Direct Selling News, recognizing its pioneering use of emerging technologies and future-focused strategy in the direct selling channel.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: By pairing cloud-based operations with both revenue sharing and stock ownership, Sanford created a faster and leaner brokerage and wealth-creation platform.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: FASTer Way to Fat Loss showed that digital platforms and affiliate-style partnerships can deliver direct selling scale. By fusing fitness expertise with accessible coaching technology, Tress reframed what a wellness company could look like in the digital era.

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Companies MICHAEL “HUTCH” HUTCHINSON & FRANK J. CODINA / INGROUP ( F O R M E R LY I N C R U I S E S ) 2016

The legacy of innovation is not just history—it is a blueprint. Today, brands like

Founded in 2016, inGroup reimagined how people access cruise and travel experiences by pairing direct selling with a digital membership model.

What began as a cruise travel club has evolved into a comprehensive lifestyle platform where members can book hotels, resorts and experiences worldwide through an exclusive subscription system.

By blending technology, travel and community, the company created a more accessible way for families and entrepreneurs to participate in a high‑cost leisure category.

Approaching its tenth anniversary, inGroup continues to grow under the financial leadership of Anthony Varvaro, CFO/COO, who has emphasized fiscal discipline and global expansion. The company’s hybrid model of membership and referral rewards has helped it scale across dozens of markets while maintaining a premium brand image. In 2024, inGroup ranked #39 on the DSN Global 100 List with reported revenue of $253 million and exceeded $300 million in annual sales in 2025.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: inGroup shows how technology can reinvent even established industries, creating exclusivity, scale and lifestyle appeal that competitors have struggled to match.

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to Watch

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Olive Tree People/Oliveda and The Super Patch Company are proving that the same principles of defensibility, differentiation and courage continue to drive success.

THOMAS LOMMEL / OLIVE TREE PEOPLE ( O L I V E D A ) , O T C : O LV I 2023 THOMAS LOMMEL and Olive Tree People are rethinking beauty by eliminating the water most products depend on. Using hydroxytyrosol derived from olive leaf, their formulations replace up to 70 percent of the water and preservatives typically found in conventional cosmetics, delivering clean, waterless beauty aimed at results, sustainability and high impact. Their approach centers on a direct-toconsumer model through consultants who educate as much as they sell, creating both credibility and momentum.

The company experienced significant growth in the first half of 2025 compared to 2024 and is projecting at least $150 million in annual revenue in its third year. Tens of thousands of consultants, expanded warehousing and direct distribution in the US are fueling that trajectory, with further expansion into Canada and Europe underway.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Olive Tree People isn’t just innovating on ingredients—it’s building a movement. By combining a water-free product philosophy with educational selling, rapid global growth and eco-conscious initiatives—including funding water wells with proceeds from product sales—the brand is carving out a unique role in the future of clean beauty.

J AY D H A L I W A L / T H E S U P E R P AT C H C O M P A N Y 2023 Super Patch, led by JAY DHALIWAL, is already making waves—and doing so in smart ways. Its technology is called Vibrotactile Trigger Technology (VTT). The idea is simple: patches with specially designed contour-ridge patterns that when applied to the skin stimulate neural responses to deliver benefits without chemicals, drugs or invasive procedures.

From its inception, Super Patch has invested heavily in research, testing and patents. That foundation has fueled rapid growth: at the end of 2025, the company reported $350 million in cumulative revenue. Its partner network has expanded quickly across Europe and North America, supported by a scalable digital platform and logistics infrastructure.

Dhaliwal’s background in tech/software operations also plays a role. He approaches product development by identifying gaps in what consumers want, rather than following what others are doing, so products are designed to solve real problems backed by science and data.

BREAKING NEW GROUND: Super Patch’s defensibility comes from several sources: proprietary pattern design, the concept of VTT, registrations/clinical trials and speed to market with supporting infrastructure. DSN d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 81

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AHE AD W HERE W ILL THE NE X T WAV E

OF INNOVATION COM E FROM?

BY STUART JOHNSON, FOUNDER & CEO / DIRECT SELLING NEWS

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S DSN PUT TOGETHER

THIS ISSUE’S COVER STORY ON THE HISTORY OF INNOVATION IN THE CHANNEL , it reminded me of just how special direct selling really is—and how many groundbreaking entrepreneurs have left an indelible legacy for us to build upon.

But it also leads to a rather obvious question—where will the next wave of innovation come from?

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OUR PIONEERS DID NOT BUILD THIS INDUSTRY

BY PLAYING IT SAFE. THEY BUILT IT BY

IMAGINING SOMETHING NEW, DEFENDING IT FIERCELY AND TEACHING OTHERS TO SHARE IT.

Social commerce is one of the broadest and fastest-moving categories of innovation— originating with Facebook, gaining momentum with Instagram and now exploding on TikTok. The lines between community, content and commerce are disappearing, and for direct selling this isn’t just about product promotion. It’s the arena where personalized wellness journeys are shared; where test-based results gain social proof; and where AI tools help distributors reach wider audiences with precision. Companies from Herbalife to Mary Kay have already begun experimenting with platform‑native selling strategies, from livestreaming to micro-influencer campaigns, to meet consumers exactly where they spend their time.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Social commerce is fast becoming the default marketplace for the next generation. The challenge for direct sellers is balancing authenticity with conversion, ensuring communities remain genuine while still driving scalable growth.

O

UR RICH HISTORY SAYS IT WILL START WITH LEADERS WILLING TO TAKE RISKS. Today, six frontiers stand out. Two involve new strategic approaches while the remaining four are product category opportunities that could fuel growth.

What’s striking is how closely they interconnect— each building on the other in ways that magnify impact. Social commerce creates the ecosystem where innovations are discovered and shared.

Personalized wellness and anti‑aging drive consumer demand, while test-based wellness provides measurable proof to back those promises. Telehealth and prescriptions expand access and credibility, bridging personal care with professional oversight. AI-enhanced skincare product solutions and AI-enabled coaching bring technology into both the consumer and distributor experience, scaling personalization and performance.

None of these trends operate in isolation; together, they represent an engine of innovation that is accelerating faster than ever across the channel.

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1 / Social Commerce

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For more information, please read my article Social Commerce, Defined on page 46 where I take a much deeper, comprehensive dive into this emerging trend.

2 / Personalized Wellness and Anti‑Aging Consumers increasingly expect health and nutrition tailored to their unique needs. Genetic testing, microbiome analysis, wearable monitoring and even epigenetic tools are enabling individualized supplements, diets and wellness protocols.

Shaklee has done early work in customizing wellness based on user health metrics. And IDLife has long offered a DNA-based “Genetics Action Plan” (GAP Report) that provides personalized nutrition, fitness and lifestyle recommendations using one’s genetic profile. Herbalife is entering this space more deeply through its acquisition of Pro2col Health and Prüvit, along with a controlling interest in Link BioSciences, which will allow them to combine individual biometrics and supplement manufacturing to deliver personalized health, wellness and longevity protocols.

NONE OF THESE TRENDS OPERATE IN ISOLATION; TOGETHER, THEY REPRESENT

AN ENGINE OF INNOVATION THAT IS ACCELERATING FASTER THAN EVER ACROSS THE CHANNEL.

AI is now accelerating this trend, powering smarter analysis of genetic and biometric data to recommend more precise supplement stacks, nutrition plans and even anti-aging regimens.

What once required expert interpretation is increasingly being automated, making personalized wellness scalable.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Personalized wellness is tied directly to the booming anti-aging and longevity market—currently valued at more than $74 billion globally in 2024 and projected to nearly double to $144 billion by 2035. This growth reflects rising demand not just to feel better, but to live longer, healthier lives. As AI makes personalization more accessible, direct selling companies that simplify complex science into daily routines will be positioned to lead one of the largest wellness markets of the future.

3 / Test-Based Wellness Innovation Consumers are shifting from “guess-based” to “test‑based” wellness. Past efforts with DNA or microbiome kits saw limited adoption, but Zinzino has validated the category with its at-home blood testing and supplement model, now scaling across Europe and the US. Other players like Pro2col are also experimenting with similar approaches, signaling that test-based wellness is becoming a significant innovation trend.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The global at-home diagnostics market was valued at about $45 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow past $80 billion by 2030. For direct selling, test-based wellness models represent a paradigm shift: measurable, personalized results replace generalized promises— tapping into consumer demand for both credibility and control.

4 / Telehealth and Prescriptions Closely tied to test-based wellness, telehealth is expanding into prescription services, preventive care, anti-aging solutions and the fast-growing weight-loss market driven by GLP-1 therapies.

OPTAVIA has partnered with LifeMD to provide clients and coaches access to GLP-1 medications, and EllieMD also offers GLP-1 and other prescriptions via telehealth. XMD Wellness by Xyngular provides GLP-1 prescriptions as part of its broader telehealth wellness strategy, integrating them with their existing nutraceuticals and physician-guided personalized peptide therapy. AI will increasingly guide diagnostics and treatment plans, strengthening the connection between personalized data and professional care.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The global telehealth market was valued at more than $120 billion in 2023 and is projected to surpass $285 billion by 2030. For direct selling, the opportunity lies in blending this explosive growth with trusted, relationship-driven delivery—bringing accessible, science-backed services directly into homes. d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 8 5

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THE PAST TELLS US WHAT WORKS. THE PRESENT REMINDS US WHAT’S AT STAKE. AND THE FUTURE—OUR FUTURE—

BELONGS TO THE INNOVATORS.

6 / AI-Enabled Coaching

5 / AI-Enhanced Skincare Product Solutions Mary Kay, Beyond Beauty Club and Neora are proving how artificial intelligence can transform personalization in beauty. Mary Kay’s Skin Analyzer app uses facial recognition and AI algorithms to evaluate skin conditions and generate customized skincare and color recommendations.

At Beyond Beauty, launched in Europe in 2023, an AI-powered app provides customers a skin analysis, personalized report and tailored three-step regimen delivered through direct purchase.

And Neora has just launched Intelli-SKIN technology which uses AI to analyze a customer’s skin through a phone or computer facial scan. The tool then provides a personalized skin assessment that identifies concerns and then recommends a specific product regimen to address those needs.

This personalization in beauty mirrors the same consumer expectations shaping wellness and antiaging, reinforcing that AI-driven customization is becoming the norm across categories. Others have and more will continue to join this trend.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: AI-enabled product solutions are reshaping consumer expectations, making personalization at scale no longer optional but essential. For direct selling, these innovations represent a chance to combine high-tech precision with human connection, delivering experiences that feel uniquely tailored while reinforcing the value of trusted customer relationships.

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Artificial intelligence is transforming how people are trained, onboarded and developed in direct selling.

Instead of static training modules, AI-driven platforms can adapt in real time—analyzing performance, surfacing personalized prompts and delivering just‑in‑time coaching that keeps distributors engaged and productive.

From onboarding new recruits with individualized learning paths to providing experienced leaders with real-time sales insights, AI is embedding personalization into every aspect of field development. Just as consumers now expect tailored wellness solutions, distributors increasingly expect tailored support—making personalization a unifying force across both product and people development.

Nowsite, for example, offers coaching and personal development features that combine technical skill training (social posts, content, CRM, websites) with sales interaction coaching (AI support in conversations, next‑action guidance) and behavioral habit formation (daily routines, onboarding, team/lead tracking). If you’re building a direct-selling business, these modules aim to raise both the “what you do” (actions) and the “how you do it” (mindset, consistency, interaction competence).

THE BIGGER PICTURE: AI-enabled coaching isn’t about replacing people—it’s about making every interaction smarter and more impactful. By accelerating skill development, strengthening retention and scaling personalized support, AI is reshaping the future of training and leadership in direct selling. Companies that adopt these tools will set the pace for performance, loyalty and long‑term growth.

A Call to Innovate Too many leaders today are contemplating how to cut budgets rather than how to fund innovation. R&D is often the first line item to shrink, when in fact it should be the last. Companies must be financially resourceful, yes— but starving the very thing that differentiates you is not strategy. It is surrender.

Our pioneers did not build this industry by playing it safe. They built it by imagining something new, defending it fiercely and teaching others to share it. The same choice faces every leader today.

On a recent episode of DSN’s Direct Approach podcast, Oliver Dibblee, President of Xyngular, referenced US Army General Eric Shinseki’s famous quote, “If you hate change, you’ll hate irrelevance even more.” Its pertinence for the current dynamics in our channel couldn’t be clearer.

So, I will leave you with these questions: How will you balance the current pressures of a rapidly evolving channel with a long-term vision that ensures relevance? How will you keep alive the spirit of ingenuity that made our channel what it is? And—most importantly—how will you innovate?

The past tells us what works. The present reminds us what’s at stake. And the future—our future—belongs to the innovators.

We are open to hearing about any innovations or trends we may have overlooked.

Email us at editor@directsellingnews.com to share your thoughts. DSN

STUART JOHNSON has served the direct selling industry for nearly 40 years. His passion for the channel encompasses a broader commitment to build and connect the direct selling community through exclusive industry events such as Direct Selling University and the DSN Global Celebration.

Stuart is arguably the most connected person in direct selling. He has built an impressive and growing network of executives, thought leaders, strategists and innovators. His advice and counsel are sought after by leaders throughout the channel.

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6 VERYTHING we think you (and your field) should be reading, listening to and utilizing in order to stay engaged, informed and one step ahead.

BY CHELSEA HUGHES

R E P O RT /

2026 Global Consumer Predictions

BY MINTEL

As a global market-intelligence leader, Mintel analyzes consumer behavior, market trends and innovation across industries using unique and complex processes that AI alone cannot replicate. Their 2026 Global Consumer Predictions Report highlights key trends, including “The New Young,” “Affection Deficit” and “Anti-Algorithm”—revealing how identity, emotional connection and trust will redefine purchasing decisions through 2030.

A I TO O L /

AU D I O B O O K /

Otterly.AI

in today’s rapidly changing world of

The Science of Scaling: Grow Your Business Bigger and Faster Than You Think Possible

AI‑powered search tools, like ChatGPT and

BY D R . B E N J A M I N H A R DY & B L A K E E R I C KS O N

Otterly.AI helps companies understand how their brand appears

Google’s AI results. This emerging field, known as AI SEO or GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), goes beyond traditional

Companies that don’t scale quickly often fail to survive—not because they lack talent or vision, but because most leaders

search rankings by focusing on how brands

focus on the wrong priorities, operate from false assumptions

show up in AI‑generated answers, where

and set misaligned goals. In The Science of Scaling, the authors

consumers increasingly get their information.

break scaling into clear, actionable stages, showing leaders how to align people, processes and performance.

“It’s easy to launch a company with singular focus. Keeping a 15-year-old company focused is much harder. The Science of Scaling broke it into clear steps. —JEFF OLSON, CO-FOUNDER & CO-CEO, NEORA

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6 WORDS TO LEAD BY:

Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it. — E P I C T E T U S

P O D CA ST /

The Marketing Millennials H O S T E D B Y D A N I E L M U R R AY

This podcast cuts through buzzwords to deliver actionable insights on modern marketing.

With deep experience in brand growth, digital strategy and audience building, Featuring leading brands like Shopify and Infiniti, The Marketing Millennials covers everything from leveraging social media to utilizing AI to turning content into community.

BOOK /

Direct Sales Done Right B Y K AT Y U R S TA

For entrepreneurs seeking insight about the industry, Direct Sales Done Right offers an experience-based approach. With over twelve years in network marketing, Ursta shares strategies to develop a strong mindset,

YO U T U B E C H A N N E L /

The Futur WITH CHRIS DO

Chris Do knows branding. In fact, The Futur is Do’s masterclass on the topic. His videos meld creativity with business mastery, delivering high-caliber insights into branding, as well as other facets of marketing. Content includes proven strategies to craft compelling stories around products, communicating value in a crowded marketplace and establishing a powerful personal brand.

establish effective routines and create an engaging brand through social media.

The book also covers having meaningful conversations with prospects and managing a sustainable sales pipeline. DSN

MAKE A RECOMMENDATION!

Personal and professional development is the cornerstone of direct selling. We’d love to hear from you about your essential books, podcasts and other media that keep you and your teams on track! Scan the QR code to make your recommendation. We’ll select one each issue to feature on these pages.

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4

Unique Podcasts CRAFTED FOR

THE DIRECT SELLING AUDIENCE

DIRECT APPROACH

SHIFT

BUILT TO LAST

THE DSN PODCAST

DIRECT APPROACH is a bi‑weekly podcast hosted by Wayne Moorehead, marketing, brand strategy and direct‑to‑consumer industry expert.

Each episode provides timely insights, fresh perspectives and relevant takeaways to help grow and evolve your businesses.

BUILT TO LAST is our newest podcast hosted

by Rob Sperry. Each episode spotlights the companies shaping the future of direct selling. These journalistic deep dives are designed to reveal the strategies, products and systems that set these companies apart and make them truly built to last.

SHIFT, hosted by Blake Mallen, explores the transformative shifts in entrepreneurial mindset, skillset and strategy, featuring in‑depth conversations with subject matter experts and the industry’s most dedicated and high‑performing distributors.

The newly revamped The DSN Podcast provides insightful, in‑depth reporting direct from the pages of DSN magazine in podcast form. This format gives you yet another way to engage with tips, trends and insights specifically designed to help today’s direct selling executives lead from the front.

S U B S C R I B E T O D AY !

The DSN family of podcasts is designed to keep you informed, engaged and one step ahead. Scan this QR code to make sure you never miss an episode.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L FO C U S

R I M A N

I NTE R N ATI O N A L FO C U S /

RIMAN and the Tradition of K-Beauty

BY JENNY VETTER

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OREAN BEAUTY IS QUICKLY BECOMING

THE GOLD STANDARD of the skincare industry, with its reach expanding far beyond its nation’s borders. Despite its current trending status, K-beauty is so much more than a fad; it’s grounded in ancient rituals—more philosophy than phenomenon. In this, K-beauty is not simply skincare, it’s a self-care lifestyle. Utilizing this understanding as an unmovable brand foundation, South Korean direct selling giant RIMAN is thrilled to bring its powerful science and deeply meaningful tradition to American consumers.

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FOUNDED:

2018 US HEADQUARTERS:

Irvine, CA TOP EXECUTIVES:

R I M A N

T

HOUGH RIMAN HAS ONLY BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 2018, THE COMPANY’S ROOTS RUN DEEP–both within the conceptualization of South Korean historic, traditional skincare practices and the country’s dynamic direct selling landscape. Founder and Chairman Joonghyun Ahn began his career more than 30 years ago. Over those decades, he developed and refined a vision for a company that could not only bring positive change to the industry but stand apart as an unparalleled opportunity.

“In the early 1990s, I began my career as a distributor,” shared Ahn. “At that time, I often found myself recommending products whose quality I could not fully trust. That experience shaped my conviction: Let’s create products that anyone can confidently use and be proud to share. That promise became the seed of RIMAN. My journey from distributor to founder has been guided by a commitment to ethics, innovation and the belief that direct selling can be built on both scientific credibility and trust.”

Joonghyun Ahn / Founder & Chairman Betty Perez / Chief Marketing Officer PRODUCTS:

Personal Care

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My journey from distributor to founder has been guided by a commitment to ethics, innovation and the belief that direct selling can be built on both scientific credibility and trust.

— J O O N G H Y U N A H N / Fo u n d e r & C h a i r m a n

RIMAN launched in 2018 with ICD, In-Cellular Dermatology—a skincare line designed to support the skin at the cellular level. Every formula prioritizes deep hydration and foundational skin health, creating results that go beyond aesthetics to support truly healthy skin. The ICD collection is available as a complete regimen or for product exploration á la carte, but all offerings honor the three main tenets of K-beauty: cleanse, hydrate and protect.

While seemingly simplistic in approach, practicing each tenet within a routine creates profound opportunities for self-care.

Today, RIMAN operates in multiple markets around the world, supported by a rapidly growing global distributor community. As Ahn explained, “Within just three years, RIMAN had reached #22 on the DSN 2023 Global 100 List. Our flagship brand, ICD, has now surpassed multi-millions of units sold.”

The United States has emerged as one of RIMAN’s strongest markets since the company launched operations there in 2023. Ahn hired Chief Marketing Officer Betty Perez to lead the North American team just prior to the US launch.

As she shared, “When I came on board, I said that this isn’t just a regimen or a system—it’s a ritual. It’s a methodology of caring for the skin that’s been passed down through generations. What we’re sharing with the world is a family tradition, beautifully preserved.

And traditions don’t trend—they endure.”

K-beauty has clearly moved beyond a passing trend. According to the US International Trade Commission, Korea has surpassed France as the number one exporter of cosmetics to the US. Studies also indicate that Gen Z shows significant interest in creating their own K-beauty routines.

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L FO C U S

SUSTAINABLY INSPIRED RIMAN’s innovation is largely inspired by Centella asiatica, otherwise known as cica, tiger grass, or by its Korean name, “byoungpool.” Native to tropical regions of Asia, this plant has been used for generations, prized for its healing, antiinflammatory properties and antioxidant protection.

The essence of RIMAN’s formulations began with byoungpool as the foundation. In Chairman Ahn’s devotion to creating a difference, not only in business opportunities but also in product options, RIMAN has developed its own proprietary cultivar of Centella asiatica, known as Giant BYoungPool™.

This distinct variety was granted a 20-year plant patent by the Korea Forest Service and later received Plant Variety Protection (PVP) by the United States Department of Agriculture in September 2025, elevating RIMAN’s commitment to both scientific validation and sustainability. The recognition of Giant BYoungPool as an exclusive resource allows RIMAN a unique opportunity to produce products with unprecedented results.

RIMAN’s Giant BYoungPool is not the only straight-from-nature ingredient that sets the brand’s products apart. This innovation is inseparable from the environment where it is grown, a place rich with natural elements that power RIMAN’s unique formulations.

Jeju Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site protected for its outstanding value to humanity, is South Korea’s largest island, known for its gorgeous volcanic landscapes, beaches and waterfalls. It is the home of RIMAN’s Smart Farm and BYoungPool Research Institute, where Giant BYoungPool was first cultivated and is now grown. Deep beneath Jeju Island’s ancient shores lies centuries-old volcanic water, naturally purified and mineral rich.

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R I M A N

RIMAN was granted access to this pristine water by the Korean government, appreciating it as “Jeju Lava Energy Water” for the vitality it brings to formulations.

Filtered through volcanic bedrock, this water is rich in minerals and is not only used to grow RIMAN’s Giant BYoungPool but also served as the water source for many of its products. While traditional skincare can consist of upwards of 70 percent water, utilizing this exceptionally clean and nutrient-dense resource offers product performance at even the fundamental levels of cosmetic chemistry.

“RIMAN controls every step of production through a Full Value Chain Control system—from seed to skin,” said Ahn. “From the beginning, our focus has always been human centered—the trust between people; the sincerity behind every formula; and the purpose that connects product and person.”

“

What we’re sharing with the world is a family tradition, beautifully preserved.

And traditions don’t trend—they endure.

— B E T T Y P E R E Z / C h i e f M a r ke t i n g O f f i ce r

GLOBALLY MINDED With K-beauty’s explosive popularity, many companies have transitioned into North American markets, shifting manufacturing and other business functions to the Western hemisphere. RIMAN, however, continues to create and manufacture its products in Korea, preserving the authenticity and standards that define true K-beauty.

“This isn’t about borrowing a K-beauty philosophy or following a set of steps,” Betty explained. “RIMAN is authentically K-beauty—developed and made in Korea, rooted in the traditions that shaped it and shared with the world.”

RIMAN has a vision that extends far beyond the initial countries it has expanded into since 2022.

RIMAN is currently operating in Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and recently, Japan and the United Kingdom, continuing committed market goals for Asia and beginning a promising European expansion. Latin America will soon welcome House of RIMAN hubs in Colombia, Peru and Argentina.

With new skincare and personal care technologies in development, as well as new nutrition possibilities, RIMAN is evolving beyond K-beauty into a global impetus for holistic self-care.

“But more than geographic growth, it is the growth of people that excites me most,” shared Ahn. “RIMAN is not merely a skincare company. We exist to help people rediscover confidence, health and beauty in their own lives—and to remind them of the light they already carry.”

As RIMAN expands globally, its mission is to empower individuals to build meaningful businesses with the brand, combining science, purpose and human connection. Guided by this philosophy, RIMAN is establishing a new paradigm of K-beauty on the global stage, anchored in sincerity and innovation that always begins and continues with people. DSN d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 97

C O M P A N Y

S P O T L I G H T

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Norwex: A Norwegian Legacy’s Next Chapter

F

BY JENNY VETTER

OR OVER THIRTY YEARS, NORWEX HAS HELPED PEOPLE live healthier,

happier lives by reducing exposure to harmful chemicals in their cleaning and personal care products. Founded in Norway by Bjørn Nicolaisen, Norwex is the union of two words: “Norwegian” and “experience,” which uniquely captures the

FOUNDED:

1994 US HEADQUARTERS:

clean simplicity the company strives to bring into

Coppell, TX

homes around the world. Today, Bjørn’s daughter,

TOP EXECUTIVES:

Beate Hjeltnes, serves as Chief Executive Officer, continuing her family’s passion for nature, sustainability and deep, lasting relationships in

Beate Hjeltnes/ CEO Amy Cadora / Chief Brand & Mission Officer P R O D U C T C AT E G O RY:

Home & Personal Care

the company’s next chapter.

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C O M P A N Y

S P O T L I G H T

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N O R W E X

“

Our core values are rooted in the Norwegian culture: integrity, trust, respect and kindness.

— B E AT E H J E LT N E S / C EO

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The Norwegian Way While Beate Hjeltnes may be new to her role as Chief Executive Officer at Norwex, the company’s story is simultaneously her past, present and future.

“Norwex means everything—I actually don’t know where my family ends and the company begins,” she shared. “It’s a privilege to be running the company my father founded, and I constantly think about the legacy I will leave for our Consultants. But I’m also focused on future generations and the consumers who buy our products—who care about ‘cleaner, safer, better’.”

“

We’re not going to build something if it can’t be the highest quality.

— A M Y C A D O R A / C h i e f B ra n d & M i s s i o n O f f i ce r

Beate took the helm of Norwex in May 2025, more than thirty years after her father founded the company when she was still a teenager. Bjørn Nicolaisen was busy building his law business when a client introduced him to a cleaning cloth that would change the trajectory of his life—a cloth that represented a chemical-free future aligned with his deep love of nature. Microfiber was invented in Sweden in the early ’90s, just before Bjørn’s introduction to the cloth that sparked his vision.

Launching his business in 1994 with microfiber as the foundation, Bjørn became a pioneer in microfiber solutions for cleaning. Today, Norwex remains that microfiber pioneer, thoughtfully expanding its product collection over the years to include a range of cleaning cloths, cleaning products for every corner of the home and personal care that meet the company’s high standards for non-toxic ingredients.

In 1999, Norwex began to expand beyond its Norwegian home when Bjørn partnered with Gerd Doroshuk and Debbie Bolton to open Norwex in Canada, opening the door to North America and beyond. Norwex USA officially launched in 2011, following Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Australia and Malta. Today, Norwex operates in more than 20 countries. Around the world, Norwex continues to lead with its values, bringing the Norwegian way of life to homes everywhere.

“Our core values are rooted in the Norwegian culture: integrity, trust, respect and kindness,” shared Beate. “Our business relies wholeheartedly on having strong relationships, and I care deeply about the people who sell our products. Each year, I invite Consultants from North America to stay in my home rather than at a hotel, so they can experience the Norwegian way of life firsthand.”

Amy Cadora, Norwex Chief Brand and Mission Officer, explained that every product is designed with this signature “Norwegian Way” in mind—the philosophy that guided Bjørn in the very beginning and continues to shape product development at Norwex today.

“We’re not focused on creating more products,” she said. “We’re about bringing that Norwegian lifestyle—a much simpler way of life—to our products. We work to develop products that do a lot of different things, because that’s the Norwegian way. Norwegians are more concerned about buying high quality and buying it once. That’s the mentality that we’re bringing into our product innovation and strategies—we’re not going to build something if it can’t be of the highest quality.”

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C O M P A N Y

“

S P O T L I G H T

/

N O R W E X

“

What our Consultants do every day is important, relevant and impactful—not just for us, but for future generations as well.

— B E AT E H J E LT N E S / C EO

Passion Meets Purpose Since its inception, Norwex has worked to share not only its Norwegian values, but a clearer understanding of the impact household chemicals have on our bodies and our environment. The company attracts and empowers like-minded entrepreneurs to share its mission: to reduce harmful chemicals in the home. The Norwex Envirocloth, a signature product, works with just water yet removes 99 percent of bacteria, eliminating the need for toxic chemicals.

“What excites me is that gradually, people are starting to understand the importance of what we’re trying to achieve through our mission of helping reduce harmful chemicals in the home,” explained Beate. “When my father was leading Norwex, that conversation used to be much harder. Fewer people were aware of this issue. Our Consultants lead this conversation with pride about living cleaner, safer, better.”

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At Norwex, the conversation around chemicals has always taken place in person, as the company embraced the party plan model in the very beginning and has never wavered. Consultants feel connected to the mission; they’re eager to share what they’ve learned at parties and in their everyday relationships. Norwex works to educate Consultants and customers about the impact of chemicals, sustainability and the environment they steward.

“We are a Consultant-led business; we’re a party plan business,” said Amy. “We are not deviating from that. It’s such an important part of who we are.

A large part of what I do is around the education and awareness of chemicals in our world and their impact on us. And best way to do that is person‑to‑person.”

One demographic of both Consultant and customer that particularly resonates with the Norwex mission is the 50-plus community, a group that hasn’t received much attention in a time when most companies are fixated on Millennials, Gen Z and even Gen Alpha. These powerhouse Consultants are educated about chemicals and their impact on us and our world and eager to leverage Norwex to design a meaningful second act.

“We see very few brands talking directly to the 50-plus community, embracing and taking care of them, and asking what THEY need,” shared Beate.

“The cost of living is increasing, but at the same time, this generation has more time to give. And it wants to be part of a community where they can continue growing in all areas of life. They’re interested in their health as they move into a different phase of life, and they’re very invested in their children and‑grandchildren.”

Partners in Advocacy Norwex recently announced its partnership with The Environmental Working Group (EWG) to label select Norwex products with its highly regarded EWG Verified mark. EWG is a non-profit organization committed to research that helps consumers make informed choices and live healthier lives. This partnership captures Norwex’s desire to hold itself and its products to the highest standard, as well as the company’s desire to educate consumers about the ingredients they allow into their homes.

“When we saw the EWG Verified program and talked with them, it became clear that we now had a very nice alliance with what both of us were doing,” explained Amy. “For our Consultants, it’s an ‘easy button’—a simple way to talk about how stringent we are in our process and ingredient selection. They talk about EWG Verified and share the link, which tells

customers about the transparency and evaluation process these product go through.”

Norwex currently offers twelve products with the EWG Verified mark, including both home cleaning and personal care products. This partnership is just another example of the commitment to healthy families, healthy business practices and the Norwegian Way that Beate and her family have dedicated their lives to sharing with the world.

“I think our products are more relevant than ever, given the environment we are in, one where people are concerned for their health and wellbeing,” said Beate. “Reducing the presence of harmful chemicals in our everyday lives is the solution the world needs right now. What our Consultants do every day is important, relevant and impactful—not just for us, but for future generations as well.” DSN

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W O R K I N G

S M A R T

/

AG E N T I C

C O M M E R C E

Agentic Commerce Learn more about the next shift transforming direct selling.

BY MICHAEL MCCLELLAN, ENTERPRISE DIRECT SELLING S TR ATEG I C S A LES M A N AG E R

/ WO R LD PAY

T

A New Kind of Shopper Journey

HE DIRECT SELLING INDUSTRY IS BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS. Distributors thrive when they understand their shoppers, anticipate needs and deliver the right product at the right moment.

But as shopper expectations rise and digital interactions multiply, even the most experienced distributors struggle to keep up. That’s where agentic commerce—AI agents that shop, compare, negotiate and purchase on behalf of shoppers— starts to matter.

Agentic commerce isn’t science fiction. It’s a practical shift already underway. These AI agents can gather context, make decisions, learn from past interactions and complete transactions from start to finish. For retailers that depend on personalized service at scale, this is a turning point.

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Worldpay research shows the momentum is real.

Three out of four US shoppers say they’re willing to let an AI agent browse and shop for them. But trust remains a major barrier. More than half cite identity theft as their top concern.

Closing that trust gap hinges on three things: strong fraud protection; the ability for shoppers to approve or cancel transactions quickly; and real‑time notifications when purchases occur.

When those pieces are in place, shoppers begin to view agentic commerce as a convenience rather than a risk.

Comfort levels also vary by market. A majority of US shoppers prefer to keep tight control, approving each purchase the agent recommends.

In China, however, more than half are comfortable with agents making purchases based on pre‑set rules. Any global direct selling company will need to account for these cultural differences as they design agentic AI-driven experiences.

C U S TO M E R

Hiking equipment.

Mid-range price.

A I AG E N T

Here are some options.

Want to see more?

A Catalyst for Distributor Productivity Direct selling organizations rely on distributors who juggle shopper outreach, product education, order entry, fulfillment follow-ups and compensation management—all while trying to build a business.

Agentic commerce can shoulder much of this operational load.

AG E N T I C C O M M E R C E I S N ’ T S C I E N C E F I C T I O N . I T’ S A

practical shift A L R E A DY U N D E R WAY.

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W O R K I N G

S M A R T

/

AG E N T I C

C O M M E R C E

THE NEXT ER A OF DIRECT SELLING W I L L B E S H A P E D BY H OW W E L L R E TA I L E R S B L E N D A I ‑ D R I V E N SHOPPER EXPERIENCES WITH

payment systems D E S I G N E D TO S U P P O R T T H E M .

Personalization that Scales Instead of manually tracking shopper needs or managing reorders, AI agents can surface relevant product suggestions, flag seasonal buying patterns and prompt timely engagements.

In practice, this means a distributor can focus on the conversations that build trust, while the agent handles reminders, replenishment cycles and product matching behind the scenes.

AI doesn’t replace the relationship. It strengthens it. Distributors stay visible, present and informed without drowning in administrative work.

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One of the most valuable shifts agentic commerce unlocks is personalization at scale. An AI agent can interpret browsing patterns, past purchases and lifestyle signals to suggest the right product at the right time. In wellness, it could surface immunesupport recommendations as seasons change. In beauty, it might identify when a shopper is likely running low on a favorite product.

But high-quality personalization depends on a payment infrastructure capable of supporting automated transactions. Many direct selling systems were built for human-driven checkouts, not autonomous ones. That becomes a bottleneck.

A I D O E S N ’ T R E P L AC E T H E R E L AT I O N S H I P. I T S T R E N GT H E N S

Distributors stay visible, present and informed W I T H O U T D R OW N I N G I T.

I N A D M I N I S T R AT I V E WO R K .

To support agentic commerce, retailers need: n API-first payment architecture that allows

automated transactions without friction. n Secure tokenization to store shopper credentials

safely. n Intelligent fraud detection that can distinguish

legitimate automated behavior from suspicious activity. n Seamless integration with distributor platforms

and multi-level compensation structures.

Direct selling adds an extra layer of complexity.

Payment systems must not only complete transactions but also trigger commissions, bonuses and incentives accurately—whether the purchase originates from a shopper, a distributor or an AI agent acting on their behalf.

What Comes Next The next era of direct selling will be shaped by how well retailers blend AI-driven shopper experiences with payment systems designed to support them.

Retailers that equip distributors with AI agents will gain efficiency, but only if the underlying payments foundation can securely and consistently manage autonomous commerce.

This calls for payment technology that keeps pace with AI—fraud defenses strong enough for automated purchasing, tokenization that protects shopper data and flexible systems that maintain the integrity of compensation plans.

The retailers that succeed won’t simply “add AI.” They’ll rebuild parts of their commerce infrastructure so AI can function safely and reliably.

Agentic commerce is more than a trend—it’s a structural shift. Direct selling organizations that prepare today will be better positioned to strengthen distributor relationships, improve shopper satisfaction and stay competitive as buying behaviors evolve.

If your organization is exploring how agentic commerce could enhance shopper engagement and distributor productivity, partner with a company that offers research and payments expertise to help you navigate the shift. DSN To dive deeper into the findings shaping this transformation, download Worldpay’s Agentic Commerce Report and see what the next wave of agentic AI-driven commerce means for your business.

MICHAEL MCCLELLAN serves as the Enterprise Direct Selling Strategic Sales Manager at Worldpay, drawing upon a wealth of experience exceeding 25 years in the realms of direct selling, payment solutions and international business development.

His comprehensive background encompasses strategic growth initiatives, payment technologies and the global expansion of markets within the direct selling industry.

d i r e c t s e l l i n g n e w s . c o m 1 07

In 2026, Policymakers Will Define Direct Selling’s Future; Make Sure Your Story Helps Shape What’s Next 2026 is the year for direct selling’s voices to resound in the halls of power, whether on Capitol Hill or in statehouses nationwide.

This is the moment to show how the channel protects independence and leads with integrity.

Add your voice to this effort. Renew your membership or join the Direct Selling Association before MARCH 15TH and help shape the channel’s future.

Renew Today WWW.DSA.ORG

D S A

M E S S A G E

/

The Year Advocacy Becomes Personal

A

S WE STEP INTO 2026, it’s clear that the work we did throughout 2025 wasn’t just necessary: it was preparatory.

Last year was about gaining strength in Washington and in state capitols, focusing our educational foundation on compliance best practices; reintroducing the channel to policymakers; and building momentum behind developing policies, including H.R. 3495, the first direct selling–specific bill to clear a House committee in more than 40 years.

That groundwork matters, because the year ahead will require something different from all of us. The environment has changed. The pace has changed.

And the way people absorb and share information has changed with it.

One of the most important insights I gained didn’t come from a hearing or a briefing; it came from a conversation with my teenage son. His generation doesn’t simply search for information; they encounter it through people they trust.

They respond to clarity, honesty and authentic stories. And in many ways, that’s not unique to young people, including Capitol Hill staffers. Most of us connect more easily with someone’s

DAVE GRIMALDI

CEO of the US Direct Selling Association

#COMMUNITY #STRONGERTOGETHER

lived experience than with data points or policy summaries. The future of direct selling isn’t door-to-door. It’s story-tostory, and that idea applies well beyond how distributors interact with customers.

When someone shares what direct selling has meant in their life, they bring the model into focus in a way charts and reports never will. That’s what I mean by relationship storytelling: real people explaining—in their own words—why clear and fair rules matter and what this work makes possible for them.

If we want lawmakers and regulators to understand what the channel means to millions of Americans, we can’t rely solely on white papers, testimony or industry data. They don’t carry the immediacy or the human depth of a seller describing how they built a business that fits their life.

In 2025, we rebuilt our presence. In 2026, we will redefine our influence, one story at a time.

This year, I’m asking every company, every leader and every seller to join this effort by sharing the human side of this channel. The more Washington and elected state officials understand the people behind this business, the better positioned DSA will be to protect it. DSN

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CONSULTANTS/

CONSULTANTS/

M ANAGEMENT

M ANAGEMENT

I N S I G H TS

LACORE COMMERCE

GOBI INSIGHTS

SOF T WARE/

DISTRIBUTOR RESOURCES &

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

SOLUTIONS

jbutcher@lacorecommerce.com / lacorecommerce.com

THANK YOU to our Supplier Members >

APPTOR

+972-5467-06315 / apptor-ai.com

877-359-1870 / gobi-insights.com

IMPACT

srojas@impacthealthsharing.com / impacthealthsharing.com E- COMMERCE FULFILLMENT

INOVARA

DSN’S MISSION is to

+44 1271 634366 / inovara.ai

support and serve the

E- COMMERCE

channel through journalism

marketing-team@ordergroove.com / ordergroove.com/industry/direct-selling

BLOOKANOO

PAYMENT PROCESSING

and advocacy. That

CREDIT C ARD/

mission is made possible thanks to the generosity

sales@blookanoo.com / blookanoo.com

of our Supplier Members.

Thank you for continued

ORDERGROOVE

FULFILLMENT

CREDIT C ARD/ PAYMENT PROCESSING

support and dedication.

RUNA runa.io

SOF T WARE/

CHECKOUT.COM

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

tyler.chapman@checkout.com / checkout.com PAYMENT OPTIMIZ ATION M ANAGEMENT

FLEXPAY

817-300-1996 / flexpay.io

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ZIPLINGO

info@ziplingo.com / ziplingo.com

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

Businesses Supporting Your Business LOOKING TO BECOME more efficient and effective? Consider bringing in an outside resource and relying on their expertise. The companies on the following pages are proven partners to direct selling companies. They understand the challenges you face—and have the experience and expertise to help you

LPT is a payment platform designed to support direct selling companies globally.

Our services include: Global connectivity to 150 countries in 50 currencies, including direct connectivity to most alternative payment types, secure tokenization, customized fraud solutions, including our proprietary Fraudhawk™, advanced reporting tools, and online dispute management.

PAYQUICKER 400 Linden Oaks, Suite 320 Rochester, NY 14625 844-258-3006 payquicker.com PayQuicker is the leading global payout provider to direct selling organizations.

Instantly make secure and compliant payouts to your field in local currency across the globe with our award-winning solution that provides the largest selection of flexible and modern spend options.

WORLDPAY 8500 Governors Hill Drive Cincinnati, OH 45249 866-622-2390 worldpay.com Worldpay powers businesses of all sizes to make, take, and manage payments. Whether online, in store or mobile, you’ll find Worldpay at the heart of great commerce experiences globally.

CONSULTANTS/M ANAGEMENT

901 Sam Rayburn Hwy Melissa, TX 75454 sales@lpt.io lpt.io

COMMISSION PAYMENT SERVICES

LPT

CONSULTANTS/M ANAGEMENT

COMMISSION PAYMENT SERVICES

solve them.

LACORE COMMERCE 901 Sam Rayburn Hwy Melissa, TX 75454 801-891-5873 lacorecommerce.com At LaCore Commerce, we turn your Amazon chaos into control—and your brand into a revenue machine.With $200M+ in sales managed and thousands of unauthorized sellers and listings removed, we’re the go-to partner for 50+ direct selling companies.

If you’re tired of losing control on Amazon, let’s fix it—for good.

I N S I G H TS

GOBI INSIGHTS 90 W 500 S Bountiful, UT 84010 877-359-1870 gobi-insights.com Gobi Insights optimizes post-checkout e-commerce operations for direct selling companies. Using its CARO process, Gobi identifies cost-saving opportunities in payments, sales tax, fulfillment, and more—enhancing efficiency and profitability without requiring changes to the existing e-commerce platform.

STRATEGIC CHOICE PARTNERS 2201 Long Prairie Road, Suite. 107-316 Flower Mound, TX 75022 407-891-9265 strategicchoicepartners.com SCP offers the most holistic consulting services specific to direct selling companies today. We’ve worked with more than 70 companies over the last three years alone, and served more than 250 years collectively in the industry.

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CITCON USA LLC. 2055 Gateway Place, Suite 500 San Jose, CA 95110 808-647-4409 citcon.com Citcon delivers innovative, reliable payment solutions enabling merchants to accept over 150 global mobile wallets and alternative methods via one single API. Our unified platform simplifies local to local, cross-border, online, in-store, and mobile transactions, enhancing security, speed, and customer satisfaction.

runa.io Leading fintech, Runa, provides the infrastructure powering payouts to 5 billion+ consumers across 190+ countries.

Businesses instantly transfer funds to cards, wallets, or through gift cards, boosting revenue & simplifying transactions. Based in London & New York, Runa is backed by leading investors.

2889 W Ashton Blvd, Suite 350 Lehi, UT 84043 801-420-9200 globalaccess.com

Nexio simplifies and accelerates payment processing in the Direct Sales Industry. Nexio offers swift deployment to distributors, streamlined payment operations and seamless integration with software solutions allowing you to navigate payment complexities with ease and confidence.

1 1 2 D I R E C T S E L L I N G N E W S |

900 Wilmeth Road McKinney, TX 75069 214-817-4802 lacorelogistics.com LaCore Logistics provides distribution and order fulfillment services. Our highly automated distribution center provides both domestic and international directto-consumer shipping solutions. We offer omni-channel fulfillment solutions ranging from marketplace fulfillment for leading marketplaces to business-to-business fulfillment for leading retailers.

QUICKBOX FULFILLMENT

Global Access provides end-to-end international shipping solutions for direct selling companies, specializing in cross-border logistics, duties and taxes, compliance, and technology. Our platforms streamline global fulfillment, reduce costs, and ensure seamless delivery to customers worldwide.

11905 Sara Road Laredo, TX 78045 956-712-8842 minergroup.net

727 N 1550 E, 3rd Floor Orem, UT 84097 877-551-5504 nex.io

LACORE LOGISTICS

GLOBAL ACCESS, LLC

MINER GROUP LLC NEXIO

DISTRIBUTION/FULFILL MENT/LOGISTICS

Checkout.com is a global payments platform built for performance. In a complex, fast-changing industry, we provide the technology and expertise to help you thrive—one transaction at a time. Trusted by leading brands like Sony, Wise, and GE Healthcare, we turn payment challenges into opportunities for innovation.

RUNA

Miner Group LLC offers solutions for the Mexican Market! For over 30 years, we have helped companies expand to or optimize their operations in Mexico. We offer product and ingredient evaluations, customs clearance, regulatory compliance, label translations, and logistic services for the Mexican market.

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11551 E 45th Ave. Unit C. Denver, CO 80239 720-990-5642 quickbox.com QuickBox is an omnichannel 3PL partner for high-growth eCommerce and B2B brands shipping 10,000+ orders monthly in health, wellness, beauty, nutrition, and supplements across DTC, retail, and Amazon.

DISTRIBUTOR RESOURCES & SOLUTIONS

40 10th Ave. New York, NY 10014 tyler.chapman@checkout.com checkout.com

CREDIT C ARD/PAYMENT PROCESSING

CHECKOUT.COM

CUSTOMS CLE AR ANCE , E XPORTS, LOGISTICS

CREDIT C ARD/PAYMENT PROCESSING

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

IMPACT HEALTH SHARING 8210 W State Rd. 84 Davie, FL 33324 impacthealthsharing.com A non-profit organization offering an affordable solution to one of your distributor’s biggest challenges and financial burdens—affordable healthcare.

Since 2020, we’ve helped thousands of members reduce their healthcare costs by 30%-50% through a modern, communitydriven solution that works better and feels better—the way it should be.

Bloo Kanoo empowers direct selling distributors with interactive livestream shopping, enabling real-time engagement, product demonstrations, and seamless purchasing. Our platform blends online and in-person experiences, helping distributors build authentic connections, boost sales, and enhance customer confidence through shoppable video commerce.

KATAPULT EVENTS 5840 Red Bug Lake Road, Suite 140 Winter Springs, FL 32708 407-915-9060 katapultevents.com Fresh. Exciting. Bold. Your field deserves the best and we help you deliver. Out-of-the-box creative production with experienced show management. We execute on budget and make you look AMAZING!

E XECUTIVE RECRUITMENT

827 W 525 Highlake Rd., Suite 628 Winfield, IL 60190 blookanoo.com

EVENT PRODUC TION

E- COMMERCE FULFILL MENT

BLOO KANOO

DIRECT SALES EXPERTS INC. EXECUTIVE SEARCH 8305 Via Vittoria Way Orlando, FL 32819 craig@directsalesexperts.com 407-489-3351 directsalesexperts.com Direct Sales Experts is a highly confidential Global Executive Search Firm with over 50,000 top direct sales executives on file.

Let us help you find A Players to grow your business.

MERESTONE

382 NE 191st Street, Suite 56661 Miami, FL 33179 marketing-team@ordergroove.com ordergroove.com/industry/direct-selling

EVENT M ANAGEMENT

Ordergroove is the leading subscription platform for direct selling brands, driving predictable, recurring revenue. The world’s largest and fastest-growing brands like Juice Plus+, Plexus Worldwide, and Metagenics rely on Ordergroove’s seamless and frictionless subscription experience to maximize customer lifetime value.

6380 Silver Sage Dr. Park City, UT 84098 dianna@adimeetings.com 321-423-7229 adimeetings.com ADI meetings is a women owned global corporate incentive travel, meetings, and event management company. We curate once-in-a-lifetime experiences for your attendees, connecting top achievers to your brand while understanding and meeting the needs of your industry.

844-344-7177 hannashea.com

Merestone is an award-winning production company with 50 years of expertise, specializing in creative services, trade show design, scenic fabrication, and cutting-edge audio-visual and lighting solutions to create immersive, high-impact brand experiences at events worldwide.

MULTI IMAGE GROUP

ADI MEETINGS & EVENTS

HANNA SHEA

1701 Clint Moore Road Boca Raton, FL 33487 800-523-2682 mig.cc Founded in 1979, Multi Image Group (MIG) is a women-owned, family-run creative event production company fueled by innovators, strategists, and technologists who craft custom live, hybrid & virtual experiences for some of the world’s biggest brands.

Since 2007, Hanna Shea Executive Search has been the go-to search firm in support of the direct selling industry. Hanna Shea finds top talent for companies in need of building or improving an executive leadership team for organizational success.

LEGAL AND COMPLIANCE

ORDERGOOVE

82625 S. Wilson St., Suite 101 Tempe, AZ 85282 480-945-4631 merestone.com

MOMENTUM FACTOR 4801 Spicewood Springs Rd., Suite 250 Austin, TX 78759 512-690-2134 momofactor.com Momentum Factor is a leading digital risk management firm specializing in online compliance monitoring and global online reputation management services for the direct selling industry. Our passion and mission are to protect companies from the brand and regulatory risks associated with online and social media technologies.

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410 Saint Nicolas St, Suite #007 Montreal, QC H2Y 2P5 817-300-1996 flexpay.io FlexPay is the leading failed payment recovery platform for auto-ship and recurring payment businesses. FlexPay’s innovative platform uses multiple technologies to achieve the highest failed payment recovery rate, resulting in reduced involuntary churn and faster revenue and profit growth.

FLUID 139 Hunters Grove Lane, Suite 207 Lehi, UT 84043 385-336-7404 fluid.app The front end for Direct Selling. AI-Powered E-commerce, Mobile App, Website Builders, and Social Selling.

SOF T WARE/ TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

BYDESIGN Overland Park, KS sales@bydesign.com 813-253-2235 bydesign.com

APPTOR.AI Yitzhak Sade 37 Tel Aviv, Israel +972-5467-06315 apptor-ai.com Apptor.AI powers AI-driven messaging and automation for direct selling companies and distributors, seamlessly integrating into your existing CRM and back-office systems.

Our platform helps distributors engage customers, predict behavior, personalize communication, and drive sales through intelligent, automated actions that boost retention and revenue.

ByDesign provides configurable software solutions for direct selling companies, offering tools to manage commissions, ecommerce, and field performance. The platform helps organizations scale efficiently, innovate confidently, and deliver seamless experiences for their distributors and customers.

1600 Viceroy Drive, Suite 125 Dallas, TX 75235 214-367-9933 exigo.com 691 S. Milpitas Blvd, Suite 212 Milpitas, CA 95035 boards.com/brands Boards is a field activation and communication platform used by over 3 million distributors worldwide. With Boards, brands can connect with their fields, tailor content and communication, enhance training, and gain valuable data insights.

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FLIGHT COMMERCE 1208 E. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 222 Tampa, FL 33602 813-277-0625 flightcommerce.com Global Operations Management Software.

Advanced Comp Plan Programming. Sales Force Backoffice & Automation. Web Site Design & Replication.

HUSSLE 1633 W Innovation Way, 5th Floor Lehi, UT 84043 800-544-7044 hussle.tech Hussle’s all-in-one solution makes it easier for sellers to connect, share, and sell. We guide them to the right actions at the right time so they can sell smarter, perform better, and fuel serious revenue growth.

ICENTRIS EXIGO

BOARDS

SOF T WARE/ TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

FLEXPAY

SOF T WARE/ TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

PAYMENT OP TIMIZ ATION M ANAGEMENT

SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

The leader in commissions, back office and eCommerce software and services. The global leader in cloud-based Platform-as-aService (PaaS) for direct selling companies.

An open framework for billion-dollar giants to startup companies. Exigo supports MLM, Party Plan and Affiliate models, operating in single global markets.

J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 6

707 West 700 South Site 104 Woods Cross, UT 84067 801-383-3262 contact@icentris.com icentris.com iCentris empowers direct selling companies with scalable eCommerce, back office, and party plan platforms. With over two decades of experience, we deliver intuitive tools, real-time analytics, and automation. *Now featuring 2.0 versions of our mobile app and party plan.

Software & SaaS solutions for startup, emerging, and global direct selling companies. See our ad on the back cover.

NOWSITE now.site Nowsite is an AI-powered platform for network marketers that makes social media, lead generation, and sales simple. In just 30 days, the impact of Nowsite is significant — the average user achieves a 132% increase in social media engagement, 80% more leads and 40% more sales. Trusted by over 100,000 users in 130 countries and 150 languages, Nowsite helps network marketers sell more, recruit faster, and grow their businesses with ease.

TA X SERVICES

1875 S. State Street, Suite 3000 Orem, UT 84097 801-431-4900 infotraxsys.com

SOF T WARE/ TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

SOF T WARE/ TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

INFOTRAX SYSTEMS

AVALARA 512 S Mangum St. #100 Durham, NC 27701 niki.hocking@avalara.com avalara.com Avalara automates tax compliance for businesses, managing sales tax, VAT, and global tax regulations. Trusted worldwide, Avalara simplifies complex processes across borders so companies can stay compliant and focus on growth.

INOVARA 1 Enterprise Road Devon, EX31 3YB, United Kingdom hello@inovara.ai inovara.ai Inovara helps direct selling companies and their networks of representatives, to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to drive business and personal growth.

We specialise in supporting non-technical teams, building their confidence and capability in AI-powered tools, platforms and processes.

RALLYWARE 650 Castro St, Suite 120-376 Mountain View, CA 94041 877-858-8857 rallyware.com Rallyware is the Field Enablement Platform delivering a modern distributor daily experience—personalized sales and recruiting guidance, training, and incentives. As a trusted technology partner to top global brands, Rallyware is committed to sustained growth and field success.

TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SUPPLIER DIRECTORY, EMAIL: ADVERTISING@

JENKON

ZIPLINGO

201 NE Park Plaza Dr., Suite 220 Vancouver, WA 98684 360-256-4400 jenkon.com

355 South 520 West, Suite 100 Lindon, UT 84042 info@ziplingo.com ziplingo.com

Constant innovation and software stability are the reason world leaders rely on Jenkon.

Tailoring software partnerships, unique to each customer, empower our five decades of leadership. Jenkon customers control their own destiny, while leveraging our latest innovations. Contact Jenkon today!

Ziplingo is a messaging platform for Direct Selling companies—automating realtime communication with distributors and customers. It connects to your back-office and powers global channels like Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, and more, streamlining messaging across teams, markets, and languages.

DIREC TSELLINGNEWS.COM

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DIRECT SELLING NEWS

Companies in the Supplier Directory are not endorsed by DSN. The Supplier Directory is provided strictly as a resource. It is each company's responsibility to verify and investigate providers and services.

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