DSA: Game On… Clearer, Stronger, Louder!

It’s clear to us here at theJuice that something has shifted. Not just in activity, but in posture.

In its March bi-monthly update, the Direct Selling Association didn’t just recap progress. It revealed a channel that is becoming more coordinated, more aggressive and far more intentional about how it shows up, especially where it matters most.

And if there’s one word to describe 2026 so far, it’s this: Presence

From Rebuilding Presence… to Exercising Influence

Over the past year, DSA has quietly rebuilt its footing in Washington, D.C. That groundwork is now paying off.

According to Dave Grimaldi, the organization is now “a phone call away” from key stakeholders across the White House, FTC and Congress. That access is no longer theoretical, it’s being used.

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In just the past few weeks alone, DSA:

1. Organized a targeted executive fly-in with senior industry leaders

2. Met directly with U.S. Senators (including John Curtis) and multiple congressional offices

3. Engaged with the House Commerce Committee on potential policy shifts

4. Held discussions with the Small Business Administration, which expressed openness to partnership

5. Met with the Business Roundtable to refine advocacy strategy

6. Engaged Senator Ted Cruz’s office on FTC oversight and regulatory direction

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This wasn’t a courtesy tour. It was a coordinated push to shape perception, policy and positioning ahead of what could be a volatile legislative cycle with limited time (less than ~90 working congressional days remaining this year).

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At the state level, that same presence is expanding quickly, with active engagement now in:

1. California

2. Texas

3. New Jersey

4. Delaware

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This includes recent in-person meetings in Austin with the Texas Attorney General’s office, Secretary of State and other officials to address regulatory ambiguity impacting the channel.

The Real Shift: Changing the Story

But the most important development isn’t legislative. It’s narrative.

DSA is intentionally moving away from the industry’s long-standing language around “supplemental income” and replacing it with something far more defensible and emotionally resonant:

Choice. Freedom. Control.

This isn’t subtle—it’s strategic. Instead of relying on abstract economic arguments, DSA is now leading with real distributor testimonials, shared directly with lawmakers.

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These stories are specific and grounded:

1. A mother structuring work around her child’s needs

2. A widow maintaining income stability after loss

3. A parent of a child with autism needing schedule flexibility

4. Individuals scaling their business up or down as life changes

The message is clear:

This isn’t about side income. It’s about the right to control how you work.

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The stories are now about preserving a distributor’s right to be an independent contractor and not be forced to become employees. That framing is now central to DSA’s defense of independent contractor status, which leadership repeatedly emphasized as a “must” for the future of the channel. And notably, this shift is already influencing how conversations are happening on Capitol Hill.

The Regulatory Reality: A Full-Contact Environment

Behind the storytelling is a dense and highly active regulatory landscape.

At the federal level:

1. FTC proposed rules remain in limbo (not yet formally published)

2. The Direct Selling and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act (H.R. 3495) is advancing through the House, with active efforts to secure Senate sponsorship

3. The Department of Labor is revisiting independent contractor classification rules—with DSA preparing supportive comments and encouraging member participation

The window for action is tight, but the strategy is long-term. Even if legislation stalls this year, DSA is working to “socialize” these issues deeply across Congress, setting up stronger momentum for 2027.

State-Level Pressure Points
(where things get real)

While federal policy sets direction, the real pressure is happening at the state level.

A few highlights:

1. California:

   Ongoing efforts to modify laws tied to the Private Attorney General Act (PAGA), which leadership described as an “existential” and multi-million-dollar threat due to litigation exposure

2. New Jersey:

   Monitoring aggressive classification rules and exploring legislative fixes to ensure direct sellers remain independent contractors

3. Delaware:

   Continued negotiations (now multiple sessions deep) with lawmakers on HB 162, with active pushback on misconceptions about the channel

4. Texas:

   Working to clarify a telecommunications/marketing statute, with potential legislative fixes targeted for 2027

5. Washington State:

   A near-term win, with legislation passed (pending governor signature) to reduce liability tied to email marketing language

6. Virginia & Kansas:

   Successfully pushed back on proposed “corporate welfare” bills that could have forced companies to reimburse states for contractor benefits

This isn’t passive monitoring. It’s constant defense and selective offense, across multiple jurisdictions at once.

Building the Infrastructure to Match the Moment

Alongside advocacy, DSA is investing in the systems to support long-term influence.

That includes:

1. A fully redesigned website focused on clarity and simplicity, built around two core pillars:

2. Protecting independent contractors

3. Protecting consumers

4. Expanded use of CEO and field-facing video content to reinforce credibility

5. Increased emphasis on membership as a competitive differentiator, not just an affiliation

6. Continued expansion of Direct Talks webinars and executive programming, including:

7. A major session on rapid shifts in social media algorithms and AI

8. Deep dives with award-winning companies like Pampered Chef
   

The Data Backbone: Making the Case with Numbers

Parallel to advocacy, the DSA Foundation is scaling its research efforts.

Key updates include:

1. A newly released economic impact study estimating $80+ billion in U.S. impact

2. Ongoing quarterly industry tracking surveys to monitor performance and trends

3. A growing network of 250+ academic partners contributing independent research

4. New data collection efforts around manufacturing and meetings impact

This isn’t just reporting. It’s about equipping the industry with credible, third-party validation that can stand up in policy discussions.

The Throughline: Alignment

Across everything discussed, one theme kept surfacing:

Alignment.

1. Alignment between field stories and policy arguments

2. Alignment between data and narrative

3. Alignment between companies, leadership and advocacy efforts

Because the challenge isn’t just defending the model. It’s explaining it—clearly, consistently and credibly—in a world that increasingly questions it.

Final Take

A year ago, DSA was rebuilding.

Today, it’s engaging.

And if this update is any indication, 2026 won’t be about reacting to pressure. It will be about shaping the environment before the pressure arrives.

Because the industry’s future may not hinge on a single bill or ruling. It will hinge on whether the right story is being told…and whether the right people are hearing it.

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