Direct Sales: Why Entrepreneurial Women are the Driving Force

January 8, 2020

Kelly kicks off 2020 and Season 2 of #MsInterPReted with a hot topic within the growing U.S. economy: the trajectory of the direct-selling industry – with Fletcher PR client and CEO of Bonvera, Bob Dickie, spotlighting many of the lesser-known and even “MsInterPReted” facts of the industry . . . including its reach and impact with female sales entrepreneurs.

According to the Direct Selling Association, in 2018, direct selling generated $35.4 billion in retail sales across the United States ($192 billion globally), with “more than six million entrepreneurs in the U.S….selling products or services through the direct selling channel, providing a personalized buying experience for more than 36.6 million customers.”

About the Guest:

As CEO of Bonvera, Bob Dickie leads a premium health, wellness, and lifestyle company where entrepreneurs are celebrated.

Prior to the private sector, Bob served more than six years as a captain in the United States Air Force in various assignments that led to extensive duty in Europe and Asia. Post-military, Bob became the CEO for an international retail and training company supplying the direct sales and network marketing industry, which led to deep working relationships with Amway and MonaVie, to name a few.

Leading a company turn-around, Bob’s team rebuilt the entire organization, with new technology and product lines helping the organization more than triple in size from 2004 to 2009.

As a college athlete, U.S. Air Force Athlete of the Year, and 3rd US finisher in the Boston Marathon (23rd overall), Bob enjoys physical challenges as well as immersing himself in turn-around environments with team-building and scaling operations. He is married and the father of six children.

Show Notes:

Kelly welcomes Bob Dickie, who talks about his CEO journey to Bonvera and explains how direct-selling works, as it has evolved to a significant market force in the U.S. and abroad.

  • Bob discusses:
  • How the seeds of the direct-selling industry decades ago (with such companies as Avon and Tupperware) have now flourished through the power of word-of-mouth and direct-to-consumer marketing, amid so many people tuning out traditional marketing methods to inform their purchasing choices and drive their product passions;
  • How 80% of Bonvera’s sales-team entrepreneurs are women;
  • Why women are flocking to the direct-selling self-employment model due to a global economy; pressures for diversified U.S. household incomes; the growth of the gig economy / freelancer economy – particularly for the Millennial Generation; low cost to entry and other factors;
  • The “love-it-or-you-hate-it” reputation of direct-selling and what drives misconceptions about the industry;
  • The finer points of best-in-class product development and how systems of integrity must be upheld to build and earn positive brand reputation;
  • How “fast-moving streams” and trends in society are reflective of the direct-selling evolution;
  • How to overcome “fear of salesmanship” and find a product passion, to best consider opportunities in the field.