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There’s been a lot of buzz lately on the direct sales industry as a haven for those seeking employment in these trying economic times. Makes sense. Be it full or part-time, the direct sales industry is unique in that it is always hiring. There is also unlimited upside earning potential and little or no chance of being downsized. But, like any job, the key to success is doing something you enjoy. So, the tricky part is figuring out which direct sales company is the best fit. Of course most of this is based on what the company is selling. If you don’t believe in the product, everything else doesn’t really matter. To me, the best way to determine if you are a good representative candidate is to ask yourself, “Would I want to buy that product if someone else was showing it to me?” If the answer is yes then that is a company worth looking into. You want to feel like you have found something worth sharing, not just selling.

Of course there are other factors to consider when choosing which direct sales company is the right one for you – initial investment, personal sales volume minimums, e-commerce options, compensation plan specifics, corporate mission/culture/personality and market saturation. Established “big name” direct sales companies equate to tradition, history, evolved policy, procedure and hopefully security. So, the more representatives a company has signed, the better off you are, right? Maybe.

Companies with hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of independent sales representatives like Tupperware, Avon, Mary Kay and Pampered Chef are very well known and they make a great product, but…their markets are becoming increasingly saturated. It might be difficult to book parties, obtain referrals or generate significant sales because interested customers may already have a rep they purchase from or are already familiar with these products and services. I want to be clear in that I do not in any way want to give the impression that it is fruitless to investigate joining companies like Avon and Tupperware. I am suggesting however that there may be greater opportunity and potential for impact with a newer organization.

I realize I’m not the most objective observer on this topic given that I am CEO and co-founder of a relatively new direct sales company that sells merchandise no one else in the industry offers. I also realize that as a young business that is still in a soft launch phase, LikeWear doesn’t have much history or experience to draw from. We haven’t instituted our multi-level compensation plan and we’re selling something new that most consumers are not familiar with. But, largely due to that originality, we’ve attracted the attention of Tootsie Roll Industries, General Mills and Honda with whom we currently have licensing deals. And we continue to get noticed by other companies interested in promoting their brands in the fun, innovative and timely way that LikeWear offers. I mean who better to market their brands than moms with kids?

With so many women looking in and being directed towards the direct selling industry nowadays, we hope to continue to attract women looking to be founding members of an inventive company offering a unique career opportunity in an industry being heralded as the right place to be. So if you are considering direct sales as a career option, I suggest you ask yourself, “Do you want to be one of many… or the first of many?”