PRESS RELEASE
Future of Work is Focus of Capitol Hill Discussion Featuring Amway, Policymakers, Researchers
U.S. Representatives Richard Hudson (R-NC), Darren Soto (D-FL) and John Moolenaar (R-MI) spoke at the event, which spotlighted research on young workers’ attitude towards business ownership and direct selling’s role in the economy
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A recent panel discussion on Capitol Hill featuring policymakers, researchers and Amway North America’s Managing Director Andrew Schmidt, focused on the future of work and the demands of the modern economy.
Schmidt, along with Bridgehead Collective Founder and CEO Heather Chastain and Emory University Marketing Professor Sandy Jap, engaged in a robust discussion about the evolving employment landscape that has been fueled by events ranging from the pandemic and economic stresses to workplace innovations.
A critical part of this conversation revolved around young workers’ attitudes towards the modern economy, business ownership and how direct selling fits into the future of work. Direct Selling Association President and CEO Joseph Mariano moderated the briefing.
U.S. Representatives Richard Hudson (R-NC), Darren Soto (D-FL) and John Moolenaar (R-MI) also spoke at the event about the merits of direct selling, its economic footprint at the local and national levels and its ability to meet the rising needs of younger generations when it comes to flexible and diversified work opportunities.
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), co-chair of the Direct Selling Caucus, stated, “Direct selling is a true entrepreneur’s calling, and briefings like this demonstrate the incredible opportunities for young people to earn income and start their own business.”
“Direct selling provides opportunities to those seeking workplace flexibility or need to earn additional income,” said Rep. Darren Soto. “As co-chair of the Future Forum Caucus, I regularly engage on issues that matter to young people—and those under 44 have overwhelmingly shown interest in more flexible work arrangements and increased work/life balance. I’m proud to participate in conversations surrounding what we can do in Congress to open doors and encourage entrepreneurship.”
“Independent business owners enjoy the opportunity to be their own boss, set their own hours, and earn a reliable stream of income. They number in the thousands across the country, and it was nice to meet with them and hear their concerns for our country and the economy. We need entrepreneurs for our country to thrive, so it was encouraging to learn that so many young people are looking at entrepreneurship and becoming independent business owners,” said Rep. John Moolenaar.
These conversations were backed by several pieces of research that were spotlighted during this panel. One of them, a 2023 entrepreneurship study by Amway, found that 6 in 10 people are interested in starting their own businesses, up from before the pandemic. Bridgehead Collective’s recent report also highlighted that within the next three years, younger Millennials[CD1] showed the highest likelihood of pursuing entrepreneurship at 83 percent.
“Americans increasingly want to participate in the ‘slasher economy,’ which enables people to earn a living through multiple pursuits. It allows someone to be a mom ‘slash’ artist who sells work online, ‘slash’ yoga instructor,” said Andrew Schmidt. “From an Amway perspective, we’re seeing firsthand the rising demand for flexible, non-traditional work. In the past 3 months, we’ve had roughly 50,000 people sign up to be an Amway distributor and a majority of those people are female, a majority of them are 35 or under, and a large percentage speak English as a second language. This pathway to entrepreneurship resonates with a huge cross-section of the American population.”
“Direct selling is very appealing to millennials and Gen Z because these generations value multiple income streams and alternatives to traditional 9-5 jobs,” said Heather Chastain. “Younger generations are also very interested in monetizing their personal brand, and we see examples of that on our social feeds all the time. Direct selling provides them the infrastructure to do just that while creating an additional income stream.”
“Direct selling is one of the most inclusive paths to employment, in the sense that you don’t need to bring thousands of dollars to participate,” said Sandy Jap. “I’m an immigrant to the United States. I was born in Indonesia and moved here with my parents. As an immigrant, you see the United States as a place of equal opportunity and accessibility, where you are able to advance yourself through hard work and effort. The direct selling channel is a very accessible medium to that.”
The panelists highlighted how the spectrum of employment is incredibly vast and direct selling is meeting individuals’ need for dynamism in the modern economy. As the speakers pointed out, there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people in each district that participate in direct selling as a means to earn income and to contribute to their local communities and economies. The speakers pointed to the need for leaders in Washington to champion policy to enable these individuals to earn their livelihood and pursue the best opportunities for themselves and their families.
About Amway
Amway is an entrepreneur-led health and wellbeing company based in Ada, Michigan. Nearly 300,000 Americans have become a part of the Amway model as independent business owners, and the company employs more than 3,300 people in the U.S. Amway supports individuals’ wellbeing journeys, developing products backed by science and pairing them with programs that are designed to help people live better, healthier lives. The company performs more than 500,000 quality product tests a year in its 75+ innovation labs to bring Amway’s customers the best of science and nature.