Connections and Conversations
David Bland, Publisher
One of my favorite assignments as Publisher is interviewing leading executives in the channel to seek their insights from the C-Suite. The Getting Real feature, published about six times per year, allows me to do that in the most fluid way possible: a Q&A format.
What was your cause or foundation’s biggest win this year?
This fall, MONAT Gratitude launched an initiative to help narrow the achievement gap in underserved communities around the world by pledging to donate $1 million through grants to eligible nonprofit organizations. We are focused on supporting K-12 programs that provide arts, music, sports or entrepreneurship opportunities to help students grow into knowledgeable, well-rounded adults. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to explore their talents and achieve their full potential. We are proud to expand our efforts through this program and hope these grants open doors to brighter futures for thousands of talented young people around the world.
— Lu Urdaneta, Founder and CEO, MONAT Gratitude
“The only constant is change,” said Greek philosopher Heraclitus about 2,470 years ago. Wise words that capture the reality of our times.
For the upcoming year, there are many changes we are wondering about in our channel: Will the new administration encourage more regulation of direct selling companies via the Federal Trade Commission or other regulatory bodies?
How will the pandemic influence in-person gatherings and person-to-person selling in the coming months?
Will the vaccine allow us to “get back to normal?” What is normal?
As is generally the case with adversity, especially prolonged adversity, new opportunities arise. Some of the situations we could not have forseen at this time last year have actually created positive outcomes for many companies in the channel, including increased sales and enrollments.