Of the People, by the People, for the People

by Debi G | Jun 28, 2011

~ by Teresa Day

More than 12 million jobs have been eliminated from the U.S. economy since December 2007, and according to the Brookings Institute, it could take 12 years to re-create what’s been lost. Many individuals are looking to the direct selling model for a different answer.

Of The People                                                                                                                     The Economic Policy Institute estimates 4.4
unemployed workers are available for every job
opening. This number does not take into account the
estimated 2.3 million “sidelined” workers—people
who have lost jobs recently but are not yet trying to
re-enter the workforce—making the ratio between
job openings and available workers even higher.
In the midst of multiple opinions about causes
and cures for our current economic state, the
activity surrounding small-business ownership
appears to be increasing. Direct selling companies
such as Scentsy, Herbalife and ViSalus Sciences have
processed more applications to start businesses than
ever. In fact, just among the top 20 revenue-grossing
companies—there are an estimated 2,000 U.S.
companies using the direct selling business model—
more than 500,000 new applications are processed
in any given month.
Yet the numbers of individuals starting their
own direct selling businesses are not counted in
the Department of Labor’s statistics, nor are they
recognized by most economists as significant
indicators for the economy. With collective
gross revenues of U.S. direct selling companies
topping $28 billion annually, it might be a
statistic worth considering.
By the People
In direct selling, individuals market and sell
products and services directly to the consumer,
either through individual contact or group selling,
such as the in-home party. Individuals own their
own businesses but still have the support of a parent
company. The direct selling model has similarities
to the franchising model, another type of popular
business ownership. Unlike the franchisee, however,
the direct seller is an independent contractor with
complete control over building and conducting
the business. Most direct selling companies
advocate a robust ethical code and encourage
adherence to ensure optimal relationships among
fellow contractors (business owners) and consumers.
The direct selling industry is very democratic,
inviting all segments of the population to participate
in business ownership, regardless of income,
education or assets. The age range of direct sellers
mirrors the age range of adults: 18 to 65+, with some
surveys indicating up to 22 percent of direct sellers
are over 55 years old. The product categories are just
as diverse, including nearly every product or service
imaginable, from energy to financial planning,
from health and wellness to beauty, from home
improvement to self-improvement.
For the People
Direct selling is also an extraordinarily philanthropic
industry, with nearly every company, regardless of
size, participating in some kind of charitable endeavor,
whether it is setting up its own foundation, partnering
with humanitarian organizations, or regularly
supporting existing charities. Companies such as
Amway, Nu Skin, Herbalife, Shaklee, The Pampered
Chef, Tahitian Noni and XANGO (and Rodan+Fields Dermatologists)                               also are among first responders to help when disaster strikes, here
in the United States and across the world, offering
millions of dollars in reconstruction efforts, products,
and even basics such as food and blankets to affected
people. Amway’s generosity is rooted in the belief of
its founders and owners that “we need to share our
resources with the communities where we do business,”
says the company’s president, Doug DeVos.
Participating in the generosity of the industry
provides another compelling reason that people want
to sign on with direct selling companies. According
to USANA’s Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Guest, the
industry attracts people who want to make the world
a better place. “Our entire business is about helping
others,” he says. “It seems only natural to me that
altruism would spill over into other aspects of their
lives as well.” USANA partners with The Children’s
Fund, delivering food and vitamins to children across
the globe, and even making it possible for employees
and associates to volunteer in other countries.
Direct selling company CEOs are also known for
their personal philanthropy in support of many causes
around the world. A recent example of this giving spirit
can be found in Andrea Jung, CEO of Avon, who gifted
her entire long-term bonus of $5,362,500 to the Avon
Foundation for Women, which has raised more than
$800 million to support women’s issues such as breast
cancer awareness and ending domestic violence.                                                        Direct selling: of the people, by the people, and
most definitely, for the people. ■

by Teresa Day  — Direct Selling News 2011

Solution to a Shrinking Job Market ~ an interview with Paul Zane Pilzer

by Debi G | Jun 27, 2011

by J.M. Emmert
Professor Paul Zane Pilzer has kept a watchful eye on the direct selling
industry for more than 30 years. In the 1990s, the renowned economist
who served in two White House administrations predicted that network
marketers would help make the then-emerging $200-billion health and wellness
channel the next trillion-dollar industry. The success of companies such as
Herbalife, Medifast, Monavie, Amway, Nu Skin, USANA and Blyth are helping to
confirm Pilzer’s theory.
As the current economic crisis continues to take a toll on people around
the world and unemployment rates steadily rise, direct selling may be the
answer to a shrinking job market. Pilzer warns that too many people today see
unemployment as part of the economic cycle—that when the economy recovers,
employment will naturally go up.
However, unemployment is not a macro-economic problem, he says. It is a
micro-economic issue, typically related to a skill deficiency on an individual level.
“The question lies not in economic recovery but employment recovery,” says
Pilzer, who has written nine bestsellers. “We have a massive social problem.
What are we going to do with 30 million people who are now permanently
unemployed? The No. 1 social need in the United States right now has nothing to
do with the economy.”
The real challenge is to replace lost jobs with new earnings opportunities and
provide much-needed training. The jobs that baby boomers and Gen Xers trained
for years ago have disappeared. Technology has replaced millions of workers and
demanded new skills that too many older Americans just don’t have.
“Instead of focusing on new methods of training, our politicians and news
media are looking at unemployment and the economic recovery as linked—and
they are not because most of the unemployed people today are skills-deficient.
If they are over 50 years old, they probably don’t touch-type or e-mail, and that
doesn’t work in today’s economy.”
So what happens to those displaced workers? Direct selling may have
the answer. The direct selling business model has always had a competitive
advantage in the training that it offers, both in business and personal skills. It
allows people to be retrained while they pursue something new. It gives people
an opportunity when no one else will.
The biggest need in every sector of the economy, says Pilzer, is intellectual
distribution—the dissemination of information about products and services. “We
have a huge backlog of better products and services that people aren’t buying
because they don’t know about them. Direct selling is the most efficient method
for the distribution of intellectual information that will improve your life. It is the
ideal model that allows anyone to reach out.”
Direct selling offers people the skills and tools to create new income
opportunities—to venture out on their own as entrepreneurs and grow in
confidence versus being consumed by the fear associated with a shrinking job
market. “Technology is available to everyone at home and is even better than
what you can get in a large company,” says Pilzer. “When we examine the
workplace, we often find outdated computers and data management systems.
However, the best tools and support needed to run a home-based business are
now available to individuals at an affordable cost. This makes a home-based
business—and a direct selling opportunity, in particular—very appealing.” ■

Let’s Talk About The Sun – Titanium Dioxide

by Debi G | Jun 11, 2011

Like people, all sunscreen ingredients have their strengths and weaknesses. Some are better at blocking UVA rays, others at UVB rays; some offer more appealing aesthetics than others; some degrade faster than others.

That’s why the vast majority of sunscreens out there contain more than one (and usually three or four) sunscreen ingredients. But what titanium dioxide does that no other sunscreen does, and can do alone, is offer the ability to provide sun protection in powder form, making it great for sun protection “on the go.”

So do what we do—apply a facial sunscreen every morning and use a titanium dioxide powder (with a minimum SPF 15) throughout the day for sunscreen touch-ups that won’t mess up makeup.

Find titanium dioxide in Rodan + Fields ENHANCEMENTS Mineral Peptides SPF 20, and available in Light, Medium and Bronze shades.

Contact me for more information at debi@skincarepartners.com

So what exactly is a Colorless Carotenoid, and what does it do?

by Debi G | Jun 9, 2011

We all know that antioxidants are good for the skin by helping to prevent free radical damage, so using skincare, and sun care, products containing Vitamins C and E, green tea, resveratrol, coffee berry, soy, and the like just makes sense.  In fact, studies show that antioxidants in combination with broad-spectrum sunscreen protect against cell damage better than antioxidants or sunscreen alone.

One group of antioxidants we are particularly fond of is colorless carotenoids. These are two types of algae sourced from the Red Sea. What makes them special is that unlike most antioxidants, colorless carotenoids do not “die” after absorbing UV light; in fact, they have an endless capacity to absorb. This makes them perfect for use in facial sunscreens.

Find colorless carotenoids (called dunaliella salina extract on the ingredient list) in Rodan + Fields^® ANTI-AGE Triple Defense Treatment SPF 30, REVERSE Environmental Shield SPF 55, and ESSENTIALS Lip ShieldSPF 25.

Find yours at www.skincarepartners.com

ESSENTIALS Lip Shield SPF 25.

ANTI-AGE Triple Defense Treatment SPF 30,

Reverse Shield SPF 55