In a recent article where Melaleuca was mentioned to deny being MLM, a debate began between individuals on what defines MLM.
MLM simply means Multi-Level Marketing. If you are able to build a team of independent sales people that you earn an income from, this is multi level marketing, even if it’s one line of IBO’s. (Independent Business Owners) What makes MLM different from traditional sales are a few things. The distributors are all on a 1099 and not a W-2. They are independent, making their own hours, working at their own leisures.
A salesperson at a car dealership, for example, is hired by the car dealership and has to report in, still clocking in, still showing up for work and is expected to be there. If a salesperson doesn’t meet the expectations, they are fired. In MLM, there’s usually a low start up cost. In traditional sales, there is no start up cost and there may also be a minimum salary offered plus commissions.
Some of the largest MLM companies are Herbalife, Amway, and Mary Kay.
An IBO can’t be fired. They can be terminated by the company for violation of a contract. Most network marketing (or MLM) companies fall comfortable in
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Natura Cosmetics Joins B Corps: Will Other Big Business Embrace Sustainability Certification?
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
The Guardian reports:
Natura, Brazil’s top cosmetics, fragrance and toiletries maker, this week became the largest – and first publicly traded – company to attain B Corps sustainability certification.
The certification program, which is run by B Lab, is designed to encourage high standards of environmental and social stewardship and transparency among businesses.
Until now, in some ways, B Corps has seemed like a noble – if limited – experiment, a method for ideologically driven companies to pursue sustainability while still surviving in a business environment that is red in tooth and claw.
While the program has had considerable growth – currently, there are more than 1,170 B Corps businesses located across 37 countries – the majority are small and privately owned. The question arises: for all the good that the B Corps does, can it appeal to major economic players?
Natura’s recent move suggests that the answer is yes. And the Brazilian company isn’t the only prominent, well-funded business that has recently sought certification. Earlier this month, crowdfunding platform Kickstarter and energy company Green Mountain Power both announced that they have attained B Corps certification.
Both companies are strong players in their respective fields. In March 2014,Kickstarter passed the $1bn mark in lifetime funding – and over half of that money was raised
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CVSL Stock Opens, Closes At $13 In Debut
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
CVSL, a holding company for direct sale businesses, debuted on the New York Stock Exchange Friday, uplisting from an over the counter exchange.
Dually headquartered in Dallas and Luzern, Switzerland, CVSL saw its stock traded as high as $19.85 per share on the OTC market in the past year. It hit NYSE under the ticker symbol CVSL and opened and closed at $13 per share.
“We didn’t really anticipate a large change in the pricing, the point was more to be on the stock exchange,” said Russell Mack, vice president of the company. “This was the first step of a long-term strategy.”
Just over 18 months ago, CVSL made its first acquisition, buying Longaberger, an Ohio company that creates pottery and baskets. It now owns eight businesses in the direct to consumer market and want to continue to add to its portfolio. M&A will be the company’s major focus in 2015 as it works to grow geographically and across industries.
“Right now out of our companies we represent nine industries,” Mack said. “What we want to do is build outward and diversify so CVSL represents as many categories of direct to consumer as possible.”
“We also want to expand geographically,” he added. “We’re currently selling in
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Concoria Makes Its Debut Across U.S.
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
Melissa & Scott Thompson are bringing together their 40 years of combined expertise in Corporate Network Marketing and Internet Advertising to form a powerful partnership as Founding Associates for new Anti-Aging Skincare sensation, Concoria.
Melissa’s experience includes over 20 years in corporate roles at Belcorp, Shaklee, & Avon Products, Inc. Scott, founder and owner of Internet Advertising powerhouse, Astoria Company, has worked in The Online Digital Media Space for 20 years.
Concoria, LLC, is the brilliant marriage of the world’s leading private label manufacturer in prestige beauty for the past 38 years and a founding team with over 200 years of Network Marketing expertise. Concoria is building a community unique to this industry! Picture the most luxurious beauty brand you know venturing into the Network Marketing arena… that is Concoria!
“I have studied companies across our industry for over two decades and I have had the privilege of leading teams of 250,000 Independent Associates; I know first hand the characteristics of a successful business, and I understand what makes this industry tick,” said Melissa.
“It is not everyday you see a new company with the expertise and backing of strong parent company, the prestige exclusivity of a skincare line that is top of
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Aron And Cathy Parker; 12 Years To Become An Overnight Success
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
It was some time ago when I heard a leader on stage say, “Would it be worth it if for 4 years if you weren’t successful and then made 6 figures on the 5th year? What if it took 10 years? 15 years? Would it still be worth it?” For most, the answer is absolutely.
Most of us spend decades in our job working only to make progress in baby steps with a ceiling cap looming above us. The promise from network marketing is what keeps people going.
It’s what kept Aron and Cathy Parker going, even though they both started on their own separate paths 12 years ago. Their story has become one that defines what the network marketing industry is about.
What many people earn in a year is what Aron and Cathy have just earned in a single month at DubLi; $41,000*. But it didn’t come easy. There were times in their network marketing career where they were on WIC (a type of government welfare program).
Their decision to sign up with DubLi didn’t come easy. Their network marketing career had picked up momentum in the last couple of years even though they had struggled in it for so long they began to
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Jewel Kade Joins Industry Giant, Thirty-One Gifts
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
Rather, Jewel Kade will be joining the Thirty-One Gifts family.
“We’re thrilled to announce that JK has joined Thirty-One Gifts, the nation’s 10th largest direct-selling company.
Our Stylists now have the opportunity to become Thirty-One consultants, and share the company’s stylish and functional purses, totes, home organization solutions, and more.
Much to JK customers’ delight, Janet Kinkade will continue her passion for jewelry design with Thirty-One, and you can watch for Jewel Kade’s artisan style to debut in the JK by Thirty-One Collection in spring 2015.”
With the merge, Jewel Kade is featuring most items at 31% Off for a limited time, while supplies last. Jewel Kade’s custom items – Custom Charms, Poetry Custom Canvases, and stamped Magnolia Metals charms – will be available to order through December 17, after which they will no longer be available.
Thirty-One Gifts aim is to simplify life with a product line featuring utility, purses, totes, accessories, monogramming, personalization, women’s accessories, men’s accessories and more.
Look at what we’re bringing to the party from Thirty-One on Vimeo.
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Ackman Going After Herbalife… Again
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) is back in the spotlight yet again, thanks to Bill Ackman’s firm, Pershing Square Capital Management. This month marks two years since the activist investor publicly announced his short of the nutritional supplements company.
Now his firm accuses Herbalife distributors of “routinely making false, dangerous and illegal medical claims to potential customers.
Pershing Square issued a press release making these new allegations this morning. The firm also posted a video about it on its anti-Herbalife website. The video allegedly shows some distributors of Herbalife’s products violating regulations set forth by the Food and Drug Administration and also an injunction issued in California in 1986. That injunction demanded that Herbalife and its distributors stop making the illegal medical claims immediately.
The firm’s representatives reviewed publicly available video that shows Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) executives making medical claims about the company’s products as well for more than 30 years. Pershing Square said the multi-level marketing company can’t deny knowing about this practice because high level executives like CEO Michael Johnson also made allegedly misleading statements.
Distributors name several medical benefits
In the video compiled by Pershing Square, distributors name a number of medical issues that Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) products can supposedly help with and in some cases possibly
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Tupperware Struggled Greatly In 2014
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
For Tupperware Brands Corporation, 2014 has almost been the inverse of 2013.
The stock started 2013 near $62 levels and continued to move higher to end the year at over $90, whereas in 2014 the stock started to decline from the $90 plus levels and currently trades near $64 levels. With 90 percent of its revenues coming from overseas and dollar riding high vs. other currencies, the future also doesn’t seem pleasant for the company.
Tupperware Chairman and CEO, Rick Goings, was on CNBC to discuss how strong dollar is impacting the company and the measures taken by the company to limit its impact.
“Its peaks and valleys with regard to it. We have done regression analysis, we have had a market basket of about 45 countries and when you put it all together, yep, this year, it’s a headache, but sometimes you’re a windshield and sometimes you’re the bug and over a decade it’s been pretty neutral,” Goings said.
Emerging markets that Tupperware is focusing on are showing signs of weakness. When Goings was asked the outlook for his company keeping this in perspective, he replied, “Well, I think we’ve got enough currents that are the wind at our back in these emerging markets. The big
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Trévo Adds To List of New Car Qualifiers
by Nicole Dunkley • • 0 Comments
Trévo’s explosive growth as a young company has been well-documented over the last few years, and the Life and Health Coaches behind that growth are reaping the benefits of their hard work.
Tonbara Inoma Batubo, Brou Epse Yapo Chia Ann Marie, and Amani Blaise Kouame have been gaining momentum since each of them joined the company in 2013. Just one year later, that momentum has resulted in sales worthy of a new car!
Tonbara Inoma Batubo, from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, joined Trévo in October 2013, and in the 13 months since has already earned an Emerald Elite Executive rank, and qualified for a new car.
Meanwhile, Amani Blaise Kouame and and Brou Epse Yapo Chia Ann Marie, both from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, joined Trévo just over a year ago, and each has already earned an Emerald Elite Executive rank and qualified for a new car, as well.
“We implemented our Car Bonus Program with the purpose of rewarding the Life and Health Coaches that have gone above and beyond with their Trévo business,” CEO Mark Stevens said. “These three individuals have shown an extraordinary commitment to expanding their personal business and the Trévo brand, and we are so pleased to reward them for those
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Amway Defends Direct Selling, Touts ‘Made In The USA’
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
Amway surpassed Avon Products in 2012 to become the world’s largest direct-selling company, thanks to a steady, drama-free international expansion over the years into key markets like China, a bigger focus on nutrition products, which are less prone to sales fluctuations than beauty products, and the ability to attract and keep sales representatives (whom Amway calls ABOs, for ‘Amway Business Owners,’ and who now number 3 million.)
In 2013, its sales rose 4.4% to $11.8 billion, helped by growth in China, its biggest market, and one where Avon’s business has collapsed since a big bribery scandal hit that company a few years ago. (Avon’s business is struggling in almost every key market.)
As a privately owned company, Amway has been spared the drama that has slammed some of its other direct-selling peers that faced regulatory and investor scrutiny: personal care products maker Nu Skin Enterprises NUS -3.63% was fined earlier this year by Chinese authorities over its product claims, while nutrition company Herbalife HLF -0.10% is in the throes of a battle with activist billionaire investor Bill Ackman, who claims it is operating an illegal pyramid scheme.
Amway Chairman Steve Van Andel, the son of one of the company co-founders, recently spoke with Fortune about criticisms of the direct-selling business model, its China success,