Three Hot Topics Discussed at Direct Selling University 2021 – Sponsored by PayQuicker

August 31, 2021

PayQuicker is proud to be a Supplier Partner of the Direct Selling University (DSU) & Direct Selling News Global Celebration — the industry’s most influential virtual event with 40 industry executives and legendary thought leaders.

In this article, Crystal Holtzendorff, VP of Global Sales; Nate Snow-Cornelius, Global Sales Manager; and Rida Waqas, Director of Marketing, share three hot topics discussed by the direct selling industry’s most influential and esteemed leaders including:

  • How Amway is leveraging social justice, sustainability, and simplicity
  • Why motivating, connecting, and training the evolving field are crucial activities for direct selling leaders
  • The importance of digital tools and technology trends that drive productivity, growth, and mainstream acceptance of the direct selling economy

Our PayQuicker team is always inspired by DSU events, and this week-long series of speakers and discussions did not disappoint.  

The DSU message of exceptional products, positivity, empowerment, integrity, freedom, and value driven business opportunities creates a unique opportunity for all to experience and aligns with our PayQuicker philosophy and core values.

DSU 2021 Hot Topics:

Social Justice, Sustainability, and Simplicity

Candace Matthews, Chief Reputation Officer at Amway, spoke about the ways the company is taking social justice seriously to create a more inclusive, compassionate future. She also highlighted how sustainability initiatives are becoming a key factor in consumer decision-making, with 50% of Millennials and Gen Z willing to spend 10% or more on sustainable products. To remain competitive, it is important to adapt sustainability practices now rather than rush to play catch-up later.

Matthews also emphasized simplicity in business practices. She has found that Amway’s independent business owners are increasingly seeking easier, simpler, and faster paths to success. This was encouraging to hear as PayQuicker embraces these principles in the simplicity of our platform and mission to provide fast and easy digital solutions to our users.

Motivating, Connecting, and Training the Evolving Field

Logan Stout, Founder and CEO of ID LIFE, talked about the five stages of direct selling businesses, from the honeymoon phase to success, and explained why leading by example and preparing teams for adversity are crucial steps for leaders.

Five stages of a direct selling business:

  1. Honeymoon phase: All is fun and perfect. Reps are excited about a new opportunity with endless possibilities and the potential for success
  2. Adversity: Realization that business isn’t easy while facing trials and tribulations
  3. Progress and commitment: Stay dedicated and keep trying. Move forward with the mindset that you are not going to hit the ball every time — the key is how you respond.
  4. Management mode: Embracing the practice to lead people, not manage people
  5. Success!

Stout also touched on the importance of motivating and training the field. One of the most important keys to success in direct selling is keeping the field engaged and informed. Being able to stay relevant in this fast-growing and ever-changing industry is a challenge with the core generation thriving off immediate gratification and engagement. With the right incentives such as instant payouts and flexible options to spend their earnings, direct selling businesses can keep their field engaged and motivated.

Jason Dorsey, Gen Z & Millennials Speaker, Expert & Researcher, also shared his insights and research on Gen Z. It is crucial for executives in the direct selling channel to understand the evolving field to make data-driven decisions and adapt messaging that resonates with younger generations. Dorsey emphasized that you not only have to track data, but also understand it.

Gen Z and Millennials are the perfect candidates for direct selling and are leading the path for adoption. Successful businesses must adapt to the needs and wants of these generations and create messaging that attracts those requirements.

Digital Tools and Technology Trends

Stuart Johnson, Founder and CEO of Direct Selling News, NOW Technologies, and Direct Selling Capital Advisors, delivered DSU 2021’s keynote message, in which he analyzed the industry’s successes and challenges and advised how to leverage the opportunities of the industry’s momentum to create a successful future grounded in integrity and honesty.

“I believe the channel has an immediate and permanent opportunity to become more mainstream if we can continue to tell our story of powerful exclusive products and a part-time, flexible opportunity in an honest, compelling and relatable way,” Johnson said. “Direct selling ticks all the boxes for today’s aspiring entrepreneurs, and if we continue to move toward the innovations that have allowed us to grow and discard the practices that have held us back, our future really does look bright.”

Johnson shared five areas direct selling executives should focus on to grow their business:

  1. Customer centricity
  2. Freedom and conscience
  3. Values & integrity
  4. Empowerment & positivity
  5. Digital tools that help people win

The importance of digital tools and adopting new technology was a common theme at this year’s DSU event. Noah Westerlund, SVP Business Development, NOW Technologies, described how to use technology, digital tools, and sampling to create a rhythm of core behaviors for distributors that drives engagement, growth, and sales.

Shaping these core behaviors starts with creating a base behavior, or core action. This initial action is what will essentially produce the desired results. Next, a cadence or rhythm should be established. This is how often, or in what frequency, the salesforce should engage in the base behavior. Finally, rewards or profitability should be awarded if the base behavior is conducted in the optimal cadence. These rewards should be timed effectively to maximize efficiency and productivity for the salesforce.

The valuable insights presented at DSU 2021 reinforce the key ideas behind PayQuicker’s digital solutions that serve as tools for direct selling organizations to keep up with important market and salesforce requirements. Increased payout speed and frequency, simplicity in user design, and flexible digital options help our clients to better meet the needs of their field and successfully compete and win in a rapidly changing market.

For the past two decades, PayQuicker has revolutionized payouts for hundreds of direct selling businesses ranging from growing global enterprises to emerging startups. Click here to request a free demo!

Crystal Holtzendorff

Crystal Holtzendorff

VP of Global Sales
Nate Snow-Cornelius

Nate Snow-Cornelius

Global Sales Manager
Rida Waqas, Director of Marketing

Rida Waqas

Director of Marketing