Reading the Regulatory Winds: DSA CEO Dave Grimaldi at theJuice
On November 5, 2025, Brett Duncan and Kate Gardner hosted theJuice in DFW. These lunch events are held two to three times a year in the DFW area, bringing together 40-70 direct selling executives for good food, great intel and priceless connections. At this event, Dave Grimaldi, CEO of the Direct Selling Association, presented. Below is a recap of his presentation. You can learn more about our upcoming events here.
When Dave Grimaldi took the stage at theJuice, he didn’t sound like your typical trade association executive. Equal parts strategist and storyteller, he spoke with the conviction of someone who believes direct selling isn’t just worth defending; it’s worth reintroducing to the world.
Grimaldi, who took the helm of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) ten months ago, brings decades of experience in Washington and a history of steering industries through turbulence. But this time, his focus is squarely on rebuilding and reenergizing an organization that represents one of America’s oldest, and most misunderstood, business models.
“This industry isn’t defined by its critics or its past. It’s defined by people who make other people’s lives better.”
A Quiet Legislative Win—40 Years in the Making
That forward-looking mindset has already produced one of the most significant policy milestones for the channel in decades: H.R. 3495, the Direct Seller and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act, a bill that harmonizes the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) with IRS code to clarify the independent contractor status of direct sellers.
For the first time in over 40 years, a direct selling–specific bill cleared a congressional committee.
The measure passed through the House Committee on Education and Workforce (a moment that went largely unnoticed outside the industry but could carry huge implications inside it).
“Everyone watching C-SPAN had tuned out by the time this bill came through ... but we were there. And it matters.”
If enacted, H.R. 3495 could secure tens of millions in tax and compliance savings for companies and sellers alike. But Grimaldi cautioned that the victory is far from final. The bill must still clear both chambers of Congress before the next election cycle, a tall order given the coming political shifts.
“The wind is at our back today, but if we don’t prepare for the turn, we’ll get blown off course.”
Politics, Revenge and the New Reality of Regulation
According to Grimaldi, the biggest threat to direct selling isn’t necessarily overregulation; it’s politicized regulation. The days of simple ideological differences are gone. Now, he said, industries are often targeted out of “revenge” by whichever party feels wronged.
“Politics used to be about ideas. Now it’s about revenge, and industries are the collateral damage.”
That’s why, he explained, the DSA is shifting its advocacy model from reactive lobbying to relationship storytelling, planting new seeds with both sides of the aisle before the winds change again.
The organization is already engaging on multiple fronts, from California’s Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) reform to state bills in Delaware, Texas, and New Jersey. The goal is to prevent well-intended but damaging legislation from snowballing at the state level before it reaches Washington.
“We’ve plugged the holes in the boat. Now it’s time to raise the mast and set sail.”
Winning Hearts and Minds in a TikTok World
One of Grimaldi’s most striking observations came not from a policy briefing, but from a conversation with his teenage son. The story illustrated how the next generation consumes information, and why direct selling must evolve to meet it.
Gen Z, he explained, doesn’t just use social media; they think in social media.
They don’t go online to search for products; they discover them through people they trust.
“The future of selling isn’t door-to-door. It’s story-to-story.”
This shift matters far beyond marketing. It’s reshaping how DSA plans to communicate with policymakers, staffers and the public. Most congressional aides are under 35, Grimaldi noted, meaning the same storytelling dynamics driving digital commerce are now shaping political persuasion.
“We can’t just send lobbyists anymore. We have to send stories that stick with staffers scrolling TikTok on the train home.”
The New Playbook
Looking ahead, DSA’s strategy is clear:
Build bipartisan credibility before the next political wave hits.
Modernize the message to connect emotionally, not just economically.
Equip the field and member companies to share authentic, human-centered stories of impact.
Direct selling’s future, Grimaldi argued, will depend as much on narrative fluency as on regulatory wins.
“This industry has a heartbeat. DSA’s job is to make sure Washington hears it.”
Be sure to join us in person at our events to experience these presentations first-hand. Events will be held in DFW and Salt Lake throughout 2026; stay tuned for details by visiting our Events page.
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