CEO and Senior Executive Delegation Engages Federal Policymakers Days After Department of Labor Action on Independent Contractor Standards.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A delegation of chief executives and senior industry leaders from member companies of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) met with federal policymakers and national business leaders in Washington to discuss policies affecting independent contractors, entrepreneurship, and the direct selling industry.
The meetings took place days after the U.S. Department of Labor announced a proposed rule clarifying the distinction between employees and independent contractors under federal wage-and-hour law, an issue of significant importance to the millions of Americans who participate in direct selling.
Left to right: Randall Popelka, Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Herbalife International of America; Andrew Schmidt, President, Americas Region, Amway; Dave Grimaldi, CEO, DSA; Nevena Srebreva, CEO, Pampered Chef; Kevin Guest, CEO, USANA Health Sciences, Inc.; Danny Lee, President & CEO, 4Life; and Dave Merriman, Executive Vice President, ACN, Inc.
Among the day’s engagements was a meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith E. Sonderling, the second-highest ranking official at the U.S. Department of Labor. During the discussion, DSA leaders thanked the Department for its recent action proposing a rule grounded in long-standing economic reality principles and emphasized the importance of clear standards
Tag Archive for Legislation & Regulation
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From Living Room Presentations to the House Floor: Why Direct Sales Needs a Seat at the Table
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OPINION | By Ryan D. Chamberlin, Member of the Florida House of Representatives and 30-Year Direct Sales Industry Veteran
In 1993, at the ripe old age of 19, I attended my first network marketing meeting. Like many people walking into their first presentation, I expected one of two things: either I’d discover the greatest business model ever created—or I’d learn how to politely escape a living room without making eye contact.
What I didn’t expect was that it would make perfect sense.
There was no lightning bolt. No choir singing in the background. No dramatic slow-motion handshake. Just a simple realization: this model worked. It empowered ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and it did so through relationships, initiative, and leadership—not corner offices or corporate titles.
That meeting didn’t just change my career. It changed my trajectory.
Over the next 25 years, I built teams across the country, served on corporate boards, and had the privilege of helping grow companies at the highest levels of the industry. I saw firsthand the life-changing impact direct sales could have—not just financially, but personally. Confidence was built. Leaders were formed. Families were strengthened.
But somewhere along the way, I realized something else.
Growth alone wasn’t enough.
Success without protection is like
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Direct Selling Association’s Statement on U.S. Dept. of Labor Proposed Worker Classification Rule
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Announcement Comes Days Before DSA Member CEOs Meet with Senior Administration Officials
Washington, D.C. – The Direct Selling Association (DSA) welcomes the recent announcement from the U.S. Department of Labor proposing a rule to clarify the distinction between employees and independent contractors under federal wage and hour laws.
The proposal would rescind the Department’s 2024 independent contractor regulation and restore an analysis grounded in economic reality and longstanding principles recognized by federal courts.
This proposal comes at an important moment for the direct selling channel. In the coming days, DSA member company CEOs will be in Washington, D.C., meeting with federal policymakers, including senior administration officials. This is part of ongoing engagement to ensure a broad understanding of how direct selling operates and the independence that defines the model.
“The Department of Labor’s proposed rule reinforces a fundamental distinction that has long defined direct selling: individuals choose to pursue building independent businesses on their own terms,”
said Dave Grimaldi, CEO of the Direct Selling Association.
“Direct sellers are not assigned work or directed in the manner of employees. They decide whether, when, and how to engage, and their success is driven by their own initiative. Clear and consistent standards grounded in economic reality help ensure
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Florida Direct Sellers & Consumers Coalition Welcomes Aspen and Brent Emry to Board of Directors
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Sarasota, Florida – The Florida Direct Sellers & Consumers Coalition (FLDSCC) has announced the appointment of Aspen Emry and Brent Emry, co-founders of Florida-based Bravenly Global, to its Board of Directors.
The appointments follow the Coalition’s formal launch at the Florida State Capitol last week, where industry leaders, policymakers, and advocates convened to establish a coordinated framework focused on education, consumer protection, and legislative engagement for Florida’s direct selling community.
Aspen and Brent Emry are the founders of one of the emerging rapidly growing direct-selling companies in the United States. Their company, Bravenly Global, doubled in size last year, growing from approximately $50 million to over $100 million in 2025 annual revenue.
Based in Tampa, Florida, the Emrys bring more than two decades of experience across direct selling, executive leadership, and strategic growth. Their combined expertise represents a perfect balance of visionary culture-building, field development and operational excellence.
Their participation reflects the Coalition’s intent to include active company founders who bring firsthand experience navigating both field-level realities and executive-level responsibilities.
“As founders, Brent and I have seen the impact of direct selling when it’s built the right way.
“We’ve proudly supported the Florida Coalition since the beginning and are honored to now serve on the
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Florida Direct Sellers & Consumers Coalition (FLDSCC) Launches at Florida Capitol: A New Model for Advocacy
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The Florida Direct Sellers & Consumers Coalition (FLDSCC) officially launched last week with a two-day kickoff event at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee, bringing together Florida lawmakers, industry leaders, company partners, and advocacy organizations for a coordinated effort focused on protecting consumers and preserving opportunity within the direct selling channel.
Founded and led by Gordon Hester and Rep. Ryan Chamberlin (R) FL, the Coalition was formed to create a proactive, educational bridge between policymakers and the direct selling profession — one rooted in transparency, ethical standards, and an accurate understanding of how modern direct selling operates.
Direct Engagement With State Executive and Legislative Leaders
Throughout the event, Coalition leadership and participating members held in-depth discussions with Florida’s executive branch and legislative leaders, emphasizing fair regulation, consumer protection, and policies that preserve entrepreneurial opportunity without undermining legitimate business models.
Click to Watch Video (1 minute)
Legislators and VIPs in attendance included:
James Uthmeier, Florida Attorney General
Jay Collins, Florida Lieutenant Governor
Blaise Ingoglia, Florida Chief Financial Officer
Sam Garrison, Speaker of the House Designate (2026–2028)
Mike Redondo, Speaker of the House Designate (2030–2032)
Rep. Fiona McFarland, Chair, Information Technology and Budget & Policy Subcommittee (Sarasota)
Rep. Danny Alvarez, Chair, Criminal Justice Subcommittee (Hillsborough)
Rep. Will Robinson, Chair, State Affairs Committee (Manatee)
Rep. Traci Koster, Chair, Civil
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DSA CEO Dave Grimaldi Interviewed Live by ANMP Board Members
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This live interview spotlights an open‑door, compliance‑first agenda and a national call to action for direct selling and network marketing professionals across the United States.
A recent episode of the Legacy Leadership Show, which was also broadcast live to members of the Association of Network Marketing Professionals (ANMP), featured key conversations with special guest Dave Grimaldi, CEO of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) and several ANMP Board members, as he outlined a clear, field‑powered plan to defend and advance the direct selling channel across the United States.
This special interview was hosted by Tom Chenault, ANMP Fundraising & Membership Co-Chair and host of the Legacy Leadership Show; together with special guest hosts Lisa Grossmann, ANMP Communications & Media Co-Chair; and Donna Johnson, ANMP Ethics & Standards Committee Chair. This remarkable live virtual event was another major step toward greater collaboration between the DSA (for companies and corporate executives) and organizations serving field leaders, such as the nonprofit trade association ANMP, and its educational conferences.
Watch live interview with DSA CEO Dave Grimaldi and ANMP Board Members Donna Johnson, Lisa Grossmann and Tom Chenault (host)
In this landmark interview, Dave Grimaldi emphasized that the DSA’s mission is to keep pathways to entrepreneurship open while raising
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First Time Ever: ANMP Board Members Interview DSA CEO Dave Grimaldi on Legacy Leadership Show
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In a powerful collaboration of leadership and insight, veterans of the network marketing industry — Lisa Grossmann and Donna Johnson — will interview the new CEO of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) in a special “Network Marketing State of the Union” discussion hosted and moderated by Tom Chenault of The Legacy Leadership Show.
This landmark event represents a first-of-its-kind direct conversation with Board Members of the Association of Network Marketing Professionals (ANMP) and the Direct Selling Association (DSA) — top field leaders and the industry’s leading organization in one live conversation about the profession’s present and future.
Event Details
Date: Tuesday, October 28thTime: 3:05pm Mountain Daylight TimeWhere: Broadcast live on the ANMP 2025 Facebook GroupModerator: Tom Chenault, Host of The Legacy Leadership Show
A Conversation That Matters
Dave Grimaldi, known for his direct, hands-on approach and strategic mindset, is setting a new tone and standard for progress and collaboration within the profession. As DSA’s CEO, Grimaldi is recognized for his policy expertise, advocacy background, and energetic leadership style.
It is especially refreshing to know that Dave actually supplemented his income in college by building a network marketing business of his own! His firsthand experiences and desire to advocate for the entire industry – including the field
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First Time Ever: ANMP Board Members Interview DSA CEO Dave Grimaldi on Legacy Leadership Show
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In a powerful collaboration of leadership and insight, veterans of the network marketing industry — Lisa Grossmann and Donna Johnson — will interview the new CEO of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) in a special “Network Marketing State of the Union” discussion hosted and moderated by Tom Chenault of The Legacy Leadership Show.
This landmark event represents a first-of-its-kind direct conversation with Board Members of the Association of Network Marketing Professionals (ANMP) and the Direct Selling Association (DSA) — top field leaders and the industry’s leading organization in one live conversation about the profession’s present and future.
Event Details
Date: Tuesday, October 28thTime: 3:05pm Mountain Daylight TimeWhere: Broadcast live on the ANMP 2025 Facebook GroupModerator: Tom Chenault, Host of The Legacy Leadership Show
A Conversation That Matters
Dave Grimaldi, known for his direct, hands-on approach and strategic mindset, is setting a new tone and standard for progress and collaboration within the profession. As DSA’s CEO, Grimaldi is recognized for his policy expertise, advocacy background, and energetic leadership style.
It is especially refreshing to know that Dave actually supplemented his income in college by building a network marketing business of his own! His firsthand experiences and desire to advocate for the entire industry – including the field
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DSA Advocacy Drives Historic Committee Vote: H.R. 3495 Advances as Entrepreneurs Rally on Capitol Hill
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Most Significant Federal Step Since 1982 Comes as DSA-Led Delegation Meets with 100+ Lawmakers to Defend Independent Work
Direct Selling Association (DSA) announced today that the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-5), successfully moved The Direct Seller and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act out of committee, marking the most significant legislative victory for the direct selling channel in decades.
The milestone vote coincided with DSA’s annual Direct Selling Day on Capitol Hill, where 85 direct sellers and executives from 14 DSA member companies from across the country are meeting with more than 100 elected officials to highlight the channel’s impact and advocate for independent entrepreneurs.
H.R. 3495 would explicitly define direct sellers and real estate agents as independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), harmonizing federal law with the Internal Revenue Code, which has recognized this classification since 1982. The bill provides clarity and protection for millions of Americans who build businesses in these industries, reducing legal uncertainty and strengthening entrepreneurial opportunity.
“This is proof that advocacy works,”
said Dave Grimaldi, CEO of the Direct Selling Association.
“We brought entrepreneurs from across the U.S. to Capitol Hill to share their stories and explain the real-world value of