A story that needs to be told each year.
The purpose of the Direct Selling News Global 100 recognition has always been to tell a story that needs to be told. We do it each year and for reasons that are especially important.
The DSN Global 100 has become a favorite reference for those who seek to better understand the relevancy of the direct selling channel of distribution, the economic and social impact direct selling companies have on people from all walks of life throughout the world. It is truly an amazing story. Those of you reading this story are the authors of one of the greatest stories we tell during the course of a year.
We rank direct selling companies in accordance with the numbers, but the stories behind the numbers mean so much more. The numbers enable us to share a perspective on the economic impact individual companies are making in terms of products and services sold and customers served. The numbers also enable us to determine both the growth status of a company and the magnitude of the company in terms of sales related revenue. Companies recognized for their growth are admired because growth is what all businesses seek. In addition to growth, we measure magnitude. Those reviewing the numbers can make their own comparisons as to whether a company is growing, stable, and sustainable as this is our 12th year for publishing the DSN Global 100. We also recognize a company that is “doing good,” and we recognize “leadership” of a company that is admired and respected for its business example.
The DSN Global 100 also serves to support a spirit of transparency, whereas all companies, executives, regulators, public policymakers, and academics can gain a better understanding of the economic and social impact of direct selling as a channel of distribution.
Publicly held companies make their results available to the public, making it much easier for our staff to identify performance during the prior year. Many direct selling companies are privately held. Therefore, they have a choice as to whether they elect to reveal performance or keep the information private. Here at Direct Selling News, we adopted a slogan, created by our previous editor, that privately held should not necessarily mean “do not tell.” The rationale is quite simple: The DSN Global 100 also serves to support a spirit of transparency, whereas all companies, executives, regulators, public policymakers, and academics can gain a better understanding of the economic and social impact of direct selling as a channel of distribution. While some privately held companies choose not to participate, we recognize those separately that we know accomplished in excess of $100 million in revenues during the past year. We also share that Amway, the #1 direct selling company in the world, shares its numbers and participates in the DSN Global 100 ranking each and every year.
The DSN Global 100 is not a horse race of attempting to provide the best numbers, nor is there a finish line. Success and sustainable success are the goals of every viable business; therefore, the DSN Global 100 reveals those companies who demonstrate both success and sustainability. Most importantly, the DSN Global 100 activates pride! Pride in who direct selling companies are and how they are impacting the lives of direct sellers and the customers they facilitate serving. The world needs to know of these stories. That is why we recognize them and tell them each year. We are proud to be able to do so.
The World is Changing, and so is Direct Selling.
In a year when the world was rocked by a pandemic, direct selling companies changed, became more innovative, and in some cases, transformed the way they had historically conducted business. Some companies grew at rates not expected. Others transformed during the year to be more of a blended type of direct selling company utilizing digital platforms and virtual connective technology more effectively than, perhaps, ever! It was refreshing to tell so many stories that needed to be told. In the most uncertain of times, perhaps, we as a channel of distribution became more relevant. As the marketplace shifted to online for just about everything, including the shopping for groceries, direct selling companies adapted and got into the new game—the new game of digital and personal combined. Zoom calls became the expectation. Party plan companies now had parties at any time, and those attending can be anywhere, even in different time zones. The world changed, and so did direct selling. This year’s DSN Global 100 represents those direct selling companies that mastered the times, the marketplace changes, the challenges—they overcame and achieved. This year’s DSN Global 100 honors those who led the way and inspired us all.
The future is always coming faster than we think, and often the future is unexpected.
As the world has changed and its marketplaces have changed, so have our institutions. New moments in time reveal new opportunities and new concerns. New rules and new regulations are expected to evolve, resulting in new guidance and conformance that is expected to support a future that can always be bigger, brighter, more successful, more enjoyable, and most importantly—more sustainable for all involved. This year’s DSN Global 100 honorees represent pathways to the future. By virtue of their examples, they can be assumed to be dealing with both new opportunities and new challenges effectively. That is why we honor them. Each year our honorees represent many new stories behind the numbers. This past year’s numbers were exceptional because, in the most challenging of times, our DSN Global 100 honorees became our shinning stars when we needed their light most. Some of our honorees have been recognized year after year, a few were new, but all are our shinning stars for 2020.
From the June 2021 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.
