A merry direct selling kind of affair at Indaba Hotel

The tough economy seems to have not deterred the direct selling industry as it depicted rapid growth locally and overseas, as attested by the Direct Selling Association (DSA) Awards at Indaba Hotel.

The awards were filled with a vibrant energy as emcee, media personality and author, Redi Thlabi got to see the latest industry results revealed by the DSA of South Africa, as well as global sales and how a number of representatives were up since 2016.

It was noticed that last year, the results show that sales were up by 1,6 per cent and a number of representatives up by 2,6 per cent.

Present at the awards was Minister of Small Business Development, Lindiwe Zulu who encouraged the audience and the country at large to contribute towards the industry. “With our president’s message of Thuma Mina, ask yourself how you can contribute to the economy and how you can help it grow. Use that as a tool to guide you in your business.”

According to the DSA chairperson Cornelle van Graan, the growth of the industry, even during such tough times, is a demonstration of the enormous opportunities available in the direct selling industry. “The industry works as a well-oiled machine and DSA member companies have been successful in keeping the industry’s positive image above board. DSA member companies undergo rigorous application and review processes which include compliance with the Consumer Protection Act as well as overall business viability.”

Van Graan highlighted that as the DSA they remain vigilant in safeguarding the interests of member companies, their direct sellers and consumers by promoting good ethics in business.

It was noted that locally, DSA gathered its statistics from all of its member companies, as the size of the industry in the country specifically grew by 4,5 per cent from R12,9 billion in 2016 to R13,5 billion last year.

As the results were depicted, it was noted that the industry was dominated by women, with Africans as the most successful race with the highest participation in the under 44 age group.

She mentioned that global trends revealed that more and more young people were supplementing their income. “Direct selling has proven successful in combating unemployment as more than one in every three young people of working age in South Africa did not have a job in the first quarter of this year. Around 1,3 million people derived an income from the direct selling industry.”

Van Graan concluded that direct selling was an industry wherein networking is vibrant. “A drive to impact your own life, touching the lives of other people and the community and a passion for your brand of products or services will see lasting growth and continued reward in this industry where we empower entrepreneurs.”

What makes a business becomes successful? Share your tips on Twitter @Fourways_Review.