DSA CEO Dave Grimaldi urged direct selling leaders to modernize their message and advocacy—celebrating a rare legislative win, warning of politicized regulation, and emphasizing that the future of influence lies in authentic storytelling, not just policy.

Brett Duncan has some beef. He believes allowing distributors to also have customer accounts undermines promotions, skews data, complicates marketing and weakens company strategy—making it a practice the direct selling industry needs to end for good.

As e-commerce exploded, the direct selling industry panicked. Companies split in two directions: stick with traditional reps or go all-in online.

As if you had to choose. As if these were opposing forces. As if the internet somehow made human connection obsolete.

In today’s rapidly evolving tax environment, staying compliant is no longer just a box to check—it’s a critical strategic function. For direct selling companies operating across states or borders, the complexity of managing sales tax, digital product taxability, and global reporting requirements has increased dramatically.

Too often, subscriptions are built around compensation mechanics rather than customer behavior. The result: rigid workflows that limit adoption. Volume may drive income, but it’s recurring volume that powers commissions, higher AOV and retention.

After years of downplaying the business opportunity, many direct selling companies now face recruiting struggles—while those boldly embracing opportunity messaging continue to thrive.