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This newsletter offers recent news, videos, company profiles, and weekly articles delivered to your inbox on a timely basis. Each newsletter contains top news stories in the network marketing industry, the most recent MLM scam alerts, timely articles on the direct selling industry, and so much more.

Make sure you’re not the last to know about top MLM news stories, or to hear about the latest scam reports. Our timely headline reporting will keep you up-to-date on stories that affect everyone in the network marketing industry.

We will also make sure you receive a “Video of the Week” on industry educational topics, such as distributor education, industry Q&A, executive interviews, MLM startup, and pyramid schemes.

Each newsletter features the profile of a direct selling company, like Avon, Mary Kay, and Amway, or perhaps a startup multilevel marketing company that you haven’t heard about yet! MLM News Global also highlights two featured articles on industry-related topics, such as pyramid schemes, compensation plans, recruiting, lead generation, legal analysis, software, and more.

The MLM News Global Newsletter is presented by industry educator, MLM legal expert, and network marketing business consultant, Attorney Jeff Babener.

Sign up today to receive valuable MLM, network marketing, direct selling content, an imperative to anyone in the direct selling industry. Join our newsletter today!

Check out our Archives for past issues.

Learn more business tips at www.mlmlegal.com and www.mlmattorney.com.

If you are interested in attending the Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company conference visit our conference page, view our speaker list, or get more details. All executives/owners of direct selling companies are welcome to attend. Call 800-231-2162 to register.

Our next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference takes place in Las Vegas. View our conference flyer and speaker list online.

If you’re reading this blog post and the conference dates above have passed, check our website for the current conference dates.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Almost all major direct selling companies have defined “retail sales” to include sales to non-distributors, as well as sales to distributors for actual use or consumption (distributors like to use the products they sell too). Many regulatory officials, however, have maintained that the “mark of legitimacy” is found in the programs where primary sales revenue comes from sales to non-distributors, i.e. consumers.

As a theoretical goal, the regulatory position is admirable. The fact is that personal use in the direct selling business creates high sales revenue for many companies from the moment of their inception.

For many years after the 1979 Amway decision, a “live and let live attitude” prevailed between the MLM industry and regulatory community. Although periodic legal skirmishes occurred, the industry and regulators appeared to be content to “agree to disagree.” Instead, the focus on legal investigation was upon inventory loading, cash pyramids, phony products, and earnings hype.

The comments of a federal appeals court in a 1996 class action case involving a company called Omnitrition invigorated the debate on personal use. In that decision, which involved an interim ruling in the case, the federal appeals court questioned whether or not a network marketing company could be viewed as legitimate if its sales were not derived from nonparticipant customers (i.e. distributors). The language in the decision was heavily criticized by the MLM industry, and the Direct Selling Association (DSA), in fact, filed an amicus brief citing the importance of personal use in direct selling marketing programs. However, the decision stood firm. In the trial court’s ruling, the court recognized that products purchased for personal use by distributors constituted a retail sale in the same fashion that sales to nonparticipants would constitute a retail sale.

In the aftermath of the decision, both state and federal regulatory agencies were emboldened to sue or obtain consent decrees against network marketing companies which contain very restrictive requirements regarding recognition of personal use by distributors. State agencies were all over the board on their position. Some demanded 50 percent sales to non-distributors. Some demanded 70 percent sales to non-distributors. Some demanded 80 percent to non-distributors. Even the FTC awakened after 20 years of dormancy and demanded that more than 50 percent of sales be to non-distributors in various consent decrees.

The aggressiveness of government activity was alarming to the industry. The industry quickly marshaled forces, and in short order, at least four states adopted legislation specifically recognizing personal use as a legitimate end destination for products. Other states were likewise targeted for such legislation and the industry was of the belief that a trend would be started that ultimately would be recognized by all state and federal agencies. So strongly did the industry feel about it, that its leading trade association, the DSA, undertook consideration of a formal amendment to its ethics code which would recognize that, for purposes of a pyramid analysis, a retail sale would include sales to nonparticipants, as well as sales to participants for actual use or consumption.

Notwithstanding the ongoing debate on personal use, the industry seems to thrive in almost all states. These is no question; however, that the “personal use” issue is a thorny issue and one issue upon which the industry and regulators must carry on an earnest ongoing dialog to reach a consensus that protects consumers, distributors and network marketers.

Learn more about the multilevel marketing industry and personal use. Watch expert Attorney Jeff Babener’s videos:

What Is the U.S. and International Trend in Recognizing the Validity of Personal Use by Distributors in Pyramid Cases?

Is There a Message to the Direct Selling Industry on Next Steps after the Burnlounge Case on Personal Use?

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t

be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t

know it so it goes on flying anyway.

–Mary Kay Ash

Humble Beginnings

Can you become the “million-dollar earner?” Don’t sell yourself short just because you’re starting fresh in the multilevel marketing business. History tells us that, in America, many billion-dollar businesses – including MLM – have been started on a shoestring budget in garages and basements. Cases in point: Bill Gates of Microsoft, Phil Knight of Nike shoes, and Steve Jobs of Apple Computer. There are countless inspiring network marketing success stories about individuals whose companies or distributorships had very humble beginnings, such as:

1) The Bathtub?

The co‑founders of Amway, also known as Quixtar, network marketing’s largest multi-billion-dollar company. Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel mixed their first product, LOC Cleanser, in their bathtubs when they began their business. Starting out as distributors for a vitamin company, Nutrilite, their Amway Corporation later bought Nutrilite, which today is their division for nutritional supplements. Amway has gone on to become the largest seller of dietary supplements in the world with consistent sales in the billions.

2) Door Knocking?

The founder of Avon (a cosmetic conglomerate), David McConnell, wasn’t even in the cosmetics business in 1886. He was selling Bibles door-to-door, and giving away free perfume samples as a way to get into the homes of prospective customers. As it turned out, his customers showed much more interest in the perfume samples than in the bibles. So, he began the California Perfume Company, later renamed Avon.

Today, Avon, trades on the New York Stock Exchange, operates in more than 140 countries with sales in excess of $7 billion, and is one of the largest sellers of cosmetics in the world.

3) Nothing, really?

After a successful career as a top distributor for the direct selling company, Stanley Home Products, Mary Kay Ash started her own small business in 1963, named Mary Kay. She created products with ingredients like hide tanner (used to cure animal hides) and became the most famous face of direct selling and network marketing. Mark Kay lecturing around the world and was even included in a case study at Harvard Business School.

Mary Kay Ash was one of three alumni distributors of Stanley Home Products that established multi-billion dollar companies. Her colleague, Brownie Wise, went on to help establish Tupperware, and Mary Crowley founded Home Interiors.

Clearly, their MLM distributor experiences allowed them to accept and succeed in new challenges that would likewise impact millions of lives and inspire other entrepreneurs to develop successful distributorships and found their own companies today.

4) Liniment?

Consider the origins of Watkins Products back in 1868. Today, Watkins sells a full line of products, from spices to cosmetics, to health care items. In 1868, however, the founder of the company, Joseph R. Watkins, was selling only one product: liniment. From that single product was built, perhaps, the longest-running direct selling success story of the industry.

5) Football?

How improbable! Art Williams was a high school football coach making little more than $10,000 per year when he applied principles of multilevel marketing to the sale of term insurance.

A. L. Williams went on to become the largest seller of term insurance in the U.S., eventually evolving into today’s Primerica, a division of one of America’s largest financial institutions, Citibank. Sales of financial products by Primerica run into the billions of dollars every year. And, all from a football field!

6) Big Dreams!

Modern-day network marketing successes – whether they are companies or individual distributors – all have their own startup story, starting on a shoestring budget. This business was meant to grow from the humble beginnings of one person’s dream. Hand-to-hand marketing is the nature of the direct selling business

And the successes of those that have started billion-dollar companies are paralleled over and over among the millions of network marketing distributors. Look around at the top distributors for major companies today and you will find individuals, who in their prior lives, were teachers, plumbers, lighting salesmen — all with modest employment incomes and equally-modest prospects in life.

What it Takes: A Positive Mindset

This is a mindset business. Your attitude is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. There is some real truth to the veterans’ advice which notes, “If you think you can, you’re right; If you think you can’t, you’re right!”

So, the next time you think you can’t do it, think again! Make sure, however, that you have access to one of the following tools:  a bathtub, a garage, a bible, or a dream.

Do you want more inspiration? Watch these video titles from the 30+ year direct selling industry veteran, Jeff Babener:

Are There MLM Companies That Have Achieved Success on a Low Budget?

How Much Does It Cost to Start a MLM Company?

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

• In 2009, 16.1 million people were involved in direct selling, compared to 15.8 million in 2010, 15.6 million in 2011, 15.9 million in 2012, 16.8 million in 2013, and 18.2 million in 2014. The increase was 8.3% from 2013 to 2014.
• In 2014, 74.4% of company distributors were women, and 25.6% were men. In 2013 that number was 74.2% for women, 25.8% for men, and in 2012, 76.6% were women and 23.4% were men.
• U.S. retail sales were $34.47 billion in 2014, $32.67 in 2013, and $31.63 in 2012.
• In 2014, 71.5% of direct sales were person-to-person, 22.4% were party plan, and 6.1% were other. Compared to 2013 when 70.2% were person-to-person and 22.5% were party plan.
• 30% of sales in 2014 were in the wellness product group. Personal care was around 15%. Services were around 22%.
• The highest sales by region goes to the South, were 37.4% of goods and services were sold. The West sold 24.3%. And, the Midwest came in third at 20.5%

The MLM industry held consistent and increasing growth from 2013 to 2014. I bet you’re thinking, “Geez! Where’s my piece of that pie!”

*Information sourced from www.dsa.org.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Portland, Oregon (PRWEB)April 15, 2016

MLM News Global newsletter offers recent news, videos, company profiles, and timely articles. The e-newsletter contains the top news stories from the network marketing industry, the most recent MLM scam alerts, timely articles on the direct selling industry, and so much more. Keep up-to-date on top MLM news headlines or to hear about the latest MLM scam alerts and pyramid scheme accusations. The timely headline reporting will keep subscribers up-to-date on stories that affect everyone in the network marketing industry. In addition, important press releases, directly from MLM/network marketing/direct selling, party plan companies, keep subscribers current on trends and direct selling company developments.

Subscribe and look forward to exclusive videos that laser-focus on industry-educational topics, such as distributor education, industry Q&A, direct selling executive interviews, MLM startup, and pyramid schemes.

The MLM News Global newsletter features industry-related articles in every issue, featuring MLMLegal.com’s perspective on FTC rulings, Burnlounge, Herbalife, Vemma cases, and more.

MLM News Global also highlights featured articles, from industry experts, on MLM industry-related topics, such as pyramid schemes, compensation plans, recruiting, lead generation, consulting, legal analysis, software, and more.

The MLM News Global Newsletter is presented by industry educator, MLM legal expert, and network marketing business consultant and lawyer, Attorney Jeff Babener.

Sign up today to receive valuable MLM, network marketing, direct selling content, an imperative to anyone in the direct selling industry.

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Check out our Archives for past issues.

The Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company conference will be held May 20, 2016.

How do you find out more information?

Visit the new website:

http://www.mlmlegal.com

Visit the blogs:

http://mlmlegal.com/MLMBlog/

http://mlmattorney.com/blog/

Contact MLMLegal.com: 503-226-6600 or 800-231-2162

Conference Information: The day will begin at 9:00AM and end at 5:30PM, then from 5:30PM-8:30PM there will be one-on-one time with the speakers. For more information visit our website or call 800-231-2162/503-226-6600. Registrations are taken exclusively by phone and questions are always welcome.

Presented by one of the most trusted individuals in direct selling and MLM, Jeffrey Babener, Editor of http://www.mlmlegal.com.
About Attorney Jeffrey Babener: Conference Host and Chairman, Editor of http://www.mlmlegal.com, as well as the leading direct selling attorney in the United States – With over 30 years of experience as a direct selling attorney, Jeffrey Babener has advised leading companies in the MLM/Direct Selling industry, ranging from Avon to Nikken, to Herbalife, to Melaleuca, to USANA, and to Excel Communications, Nerium International, plus many more. He has been published in national magazines such as Money, Inc., Atlantic Monthly, Entrepreneur magazine, Direct Selling News, Direct Sales Journal, Success magazine, Money Maker’s Monthly, among countless others. He’s authored several books, including his most popular Network Marketing: What you should know. Mr. Babener has chaired more than 70 national conferences on direct selling.

Learn how to receive two COMPLIMENTARY tickets to attend the next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference by visiting the MLMAttorney.com.

View the press release at PRWeb.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Portland, Oregon (PRWEB)April 14, 2016

Come visit the new and improved MLMLegal.com! This is the first major renovation of MLMLegal.com. MLMLegal.com’s new face is easy to navigate and full of valuable and educational content, pertinent to direct sellers. And Babener & Associates is working on updating more pages throughout 2016.

A new and easy-to-use navigation bar helps visitors easily find what they are looking for, whether it is the blog, articles, videos, MLM resources, conference pages, or one of the many other resources available on the website for network marketers.

The main homepage image was provided by expert MLM Attorney himself, Jeff Babener, while on a trip to Europe. These beautiful mountains provide the metaphor “Let Us Be Your Guide.” Let the Law Office of Babener and Associates, MLMLegal.com, guide clients through the sometimes difficult MLM industry and its legal climate. As experienced network marketing attorneys, who have been in the industry for over three decades, and who represent companies such as Melaleuca, Avon, Herbalife, NuSkin, USANA, Nerium, Excel, and Team National, our firm has the experience and credibility to help direct selling companies navigate the direct selling industry.

“Let us be your guide” through education provided throughout the website in the form of articles, videos, books, and MLM resources. Or,” let us be your guide” in helping to startup or run your direct selling company; Babener & Associates advises in all of the legal aspects of starting up or running MLM, network marketing, direct selling companies.

The new homepage offers quick and easy-to-find links so that visitors can easily contact Babener & Associates, request a Complimentary MLM Startup Manual, gather information regarding the next MLM Startup Conference, or subscribe to the newsletter, MLM News Global.

The new MLMLegal.com homepage still features new content, such as headline news and relevant articles, this time under their own, clearly-outlined sections.

Scroll down the homepage to find more educational video content and request a complimentary copy of the MLM Startup Manual.

What else is important?

A scrolling carousal provides visitors with images taken of past conferences and directs the eye and mouse directly to the page where one can find out when the next conference takes place and who will be included as expert speakers.

And now, visitors can find all of Jeff Babener’s educational MLM videos (over 140 videos) in one location, the homepage. …Right along with Mr. Babener’s most popular industry articles.

And don’t forget about the rest of the MLM, network marketing, direct selling content on MLMLegal.com. Use the Law Library to find all of Mr. Babener’s articles, federal and state cases, MLM law in 50 states, MLM business articles, IRS 911 Publication, and so many more article index pages that can be easily navigated.

Hint: Each new webpage now has related video and page content at the end of each webpage.

As does the new homepage. The end of each page has links to related material/videos, or other related pages that we suggest visitors look also to enjoy while at MLMLegal.com.

And finally, at the bottom of each webpage are links to social networking sites. Follow MLMLegal on Twitter. Friend MLMLegal.com on Facebook. Like the Babener & Associates Facebook page. Visit Babener & Associates on LinkedIn or Google+. There are lots of easy ways to stay in touch and now it’s made it easy to find and follow Babener & Associates/MLMLegal.com online.

MLMLegal.com and Babener & Associates thought a lot about visitors when redesigning the new website. MLMlegal.com is now more manageable yet still famous for being full of lots of useful content.

Potential attendees to the Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company conference are welcome to visit the conference page, view the speaker list, or get more details online. All executives/owners of direct selling companies are welcome to attend. Call 800-231-2162 to register.

The next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference takes place May 20, 2016 in Las Vegas. View the conference flyer and speaker list online. Participate in the Innovation Campaign for a chance to receive TWO COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS to attend the next conference.

Sign up for the MLM News Global newsletter for top headline news stories, videos, articles, and more valuable MLM, network marketing, direct selling content, an imperative to anyone in the direct selling industry.

The Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company conference will be held May 20, 2016.

How do you find out more information?

Visit the new website:

http://www.mlmlegal.com

Visit the blogs:

http://mlmlegal.com/MLMBlog/

http://mlmattorney.com/blog/

Contact MLMLegal.com: 503-226-6600 or 800-231-2162

Conference Information: The day will begin at 9:00AM and end at 5:30PM, then from 5:30PM-8:30PM there will be one-on-one time with the speakers. For more information visit our website or call 800-231-2162/503-226-6600. Registrations are taken exclusively by phone and questions are always welcome.

Presented by one of the most trusted individuals in direct selling and MLM, Jeffrey Babener, Editor of MLMLegal.com.
About Attorney Jeffrey Babener: Conference Host and Chairman, Editor of MLMLlegal.com, as well as the leading direct selling attorney in the United States – With over 30 years of experience as a direct selling attorney, Jeffrey Babener has advised leading companies in the MLM/Direct Selling industry, ranging from Avon to Nikken, to Herbalife, to Melaleuca, to USANA, and to Excel Communications, Nerium International, plus many more. He has been published in national magazines such as Money, Inc., Atlantic Monthly, Entrepreneur magazine, Direct Selling News, Direct Sales Journal, Success magazine, Money Maker’s Monthly, among countless others. He’s authored several books, including his most popular Network Marketing: What you should know. Mr. Babener has chaired more than 70 national conferences on direct selling.

Learn how to receive two COMPLIMENTARY tickets to attend the next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference by visiting the MLMAttorney.com.

See the Press Release.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

First, we must note that this is a bit out of our area. However, we have attended many such events and been involved in meeting planning from hotel logistics to program to meeting planners. And we have done this scores of times with many of the leading direct selling companies.
With that said, the point is that you are in a relationship business. All studies have shown that recruitment and retention have a direct correlation with how your distributors bond with management, leaders, corporate mission, and product. Obviously, a company will lead with the goal of rewarding distributors with recognition, providing good education on the product, opportunity and recruitment, inspiring them as to the past and future, demonstrating sincere appreciation and making sure they have a good time. This is “experiential bonding” and it is a company’s opportunity to showcase both objectively and emotionally why distributors should bond with management, other leaders, other fellow distributors, company product, the mission of the company and hopefully, if there is a philanthropic program, with the community “giveback” of the company.

If you are interested in attending the Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company conference visit our conference page, view our speaker list, or get more details. All executives/owners of direct selling companies are welcome to attend. Call 800-231-2162 to register.

Our next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference takes place February 25 & 26, 2016 in Las Vegas. View our conference flyer and speaker list online. Participate in our Innovation Campaign for your chance to receive TWO FREE TICKETS to attend our next conference.

If you’re reading this blog post and the conference dates above have passed, check our website for the current conference dates.

Sign up for the MLM News Global newsletter for top headlines, news stories, scam alerts, videos, articles, and more information on the network marketing industry.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

No one starts at the top and it is the rare company that starts with millions of dollars. It is not unusual to see MLM startup companies spend hundreds of thousands, this just may not be possible for many startups with a dream. The fact is that many of today’s successful companies started at kitchen tables, in basements and garages, or even mixing their products in bathtubs, on a budget. A look at Pampered Chef, Silpada, Longaberger and even Amway will reveal very humble beginnings. It may take longer and perhaps the chances of success without proper capitalization are much lower, but it can be done. Small startups may emulate from company profiles found at www.mlmlegal.com; they may do their initial books and commissions with Quicken and they may do their printing at local fast print shops. Just hang in there. Finance is “good,” but passion and hard work can also compensate. As Neil Diamond said, “money talks, but it can’t dance and it can’t walk.”

For more encouraging words to achieve success in network marketing on a budget, visit Attorney Jeff Babener’s websites: www.mlmlegal.com and www.mlmattorney.com.

In addition, our next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference takes place October 22 and 23, 2015 in Las Vegas. View our conference flyer and speaker list online. Participate in our Innovation Campaign for your chance to receive TWO FREE TICKETS to attend our next conference.

If you’re reading this blog post and the conference dates above have passed, check our website for the current conference dates.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

We have hosted more than 70 national conferences on starting and running a direct selling, network marketing, MLM or party plan company. We host the original MLM Startup Company that many try to imitate. We have started and advised many of the leading companies in the industry. We have a “big picture” approach that is difficult to find elsewhere. We are big believers in education and our website, www.mlmlegal.com, is hopefully evidence of this, with hundreds of articles, cases, statutes, and scores of videos. We take a particular satisfaction in helping entrepreneurs pursue their dreams and the consequence is often the creation of thousands of jobs and opportunities. And at our conferences, we have started many companies that are, today, household names. It has been a pleasure and honor to assemble professionals in these conferences to assist individuals to create “something from nothing.”

Join us at the next MLM Startup Conference in Las Vegas!

The Original MLM Startup Conference – Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference in Las Vegas

The MLM Startup Conference is perfect for executives who have a lot of questions that need answered by a broad range of experts. It is also perfect for those who need general knowledge about the network marketing industry.

The Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference is just around the corner! For over 30 years we have hosted over 70 national conferences to educate startup and existing MLM company executives. All executives/owners of MLM, direct selling, network marking, and party plan companies are welcome to attend. This is the original MLM Startup Conference, hosted and perfected by direct selling industry expert, MLM Attorney Jeff Babener.

The MLM Startup Conference is held three times per year in February, May and October. For current dates, click HERE.

Still unsure? Our MLM Startup Conference is incredibly popular and well-attended. Visit this page for statistics on our last event (i.e. attendance count, company count, countries and states represented).

Did you miss the February MLM Startup Conference? In attendance were over 100 people, representing 65 companies from 20 states and five countries (Canada, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States). The companies in attendance represented the entire spectrum of company ages, from startups to established companies. All attended to learn more about the network marketing industry, to grow their companies, to meet experts in the industry, and to educate themselves on the MLM industry.

WHO ARE THE SPEAKERS?

Direct Selling Attorney, Jeff Babener, Founder of Babener & Associates and Sponsor of the MLM Startup Conference, has over 30 years of experience in the industry, representing companies such as Avon, Nikken, Melaleuca, Discovery Toys, Usana, and NuSkin.

MLM Industry Consultant, Mike Sheffield, with The Sheffield Group and Co-Sponsor of the MLM Startup Conference, has helped launch over 800 companies over the last 27 years.

Over the course of two days, you will hear from many leaders in the direct selling industry, who include:

Expert, Experienced MLM Attorney, Jeff Babener

Jeffrey A. Babener, of Portland, Oregon, Conference Chair and Sponsor, www.mlmlegal.com, is the principal attorney in the law firm of Babener & Associates. He represents leading U.S. and foreign companies in the direct selling industry. He has been a key advisor to such companies as Avon, Herbalife, Discovery Toys, Nikken, Shaklee, NuSkin, Excel, Usana, Fuller Brush, Cell Tech, Enagic, Sunrider, Melaleuca, Nerium International, etc. He is a frequent lecturer and has been interviewed on the industry, and published, in such publications as Money, Inc., Atlantic Monthly, Success, Entrepreneur, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Home Office Computing, Business Start-Ups, Direct Selling News Magazine, and Money Maker’s Monthly. He is editor of the industry publication, Direct Sales Legaline. Mr. Babener is also the author of the books; Tax Guide for MLM/Direct Selling Distributors, Network Marketer’s Guide to Success, The MLM Corporate Handbook, Network Marketing: Window of Opportunity, and Network Marketing: What You Should Know (used as the college curriculum textbook at Utah Valley State course on network marketing). He is editor of one of most frequented network marketing educational web sites, www.mlmlegal.com. He has served as Chair of more than 70 national conferences on starting and running the direct selling company. He serves on the Lawyers Council and Government Relations Committees of the Direct Selling Association (DSA), and he has served as General Counsel and on the board of the MLMIA (Multilevel Marketing International Association). He has lectured at major industry trade meetings and at such educational institutions as the Univ. of Illinois, University of Texas, University of Houston, etc.  He is a graduate of the University of Southern California Law School where he served as an editor of the USC Law Review, followed by the appointment as a law clerk to Hon. David Williams, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

A number of Babener & Associates client companies have been success stories over the last several decades, including several billion dollar and NYSE companies such as Avon, Herbalife, NuSkin, Usana. Other successful companies, to which the law firm has provided varying level of advisory, have included Melaleuca, Nikken, Enagic, Discovery Toys, Amazon Herbs, TriVita, Nerium International, Shaklee, PrePaid Legal, Tupperware, Primerica,  Arbonne, Longaberger, Excel Communications, ACN, etc.

Mr. Babener has served as lead trial counsel for multiple cases on direct selling throughout the U.S. Further background material on direct selling will be found at the website, www.mlmlegal.com, where he is editor.

Mike Sheffield

Michael L. Sheffield is Chairman and CEO of The Sheffield Group Inc., a full service direct sales consulting firm and Chairman Emeritus of the Multi Level Marketing International Association. The Sheffield Group (www.sheffieldnet.com) specializes in startup operations, compensation plan development, distributor recruiting systems, and sales tools. The firm also consults on new product concept development including positioning, pricing strategies, marketing, and product sales strategies. The Sheffield Group has assisted in over 800 direct selling company start-ups, including 23 of the top 100 MLM/Party Plan companies in the world. In addition, Mike has assisted in numerous special projects for many of the industry’s most prestigious direct selling, MLM and party plan companies. He has been a frequent lecturer on launch strategies for MLM companies at various industry conferences as well as the Schools of Business at Arizona State University, UC Berkley, University of Cincinnati, California Lutheran University,
Anderson University and others. He was selected to make a special presentation on behalf of MLM at the Harvard Business School Association symposium. Mike is nationally respected as a leading compensation plan design expert and on the special staff teaching the subject at the University of Illinois at the Chicago Network Marketing Seminar. He has co-authored numerous academic papers on MLM presented at various academic conferences. He has served as sponsor and chief coordinator of various academic/corporate MLM conferences at the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP). His contributions to these academic conferences earned him the honor of being the subject of a feature article in Success Magazine. Mike has been the MLM Expert for Entrepreneur Magazine and a contributor to the Entrepreneur Magazine training manual teaching how to start a successful MLM company. He can be contacted at www.sheffieldnet.com.

Clifton Jolley, Ph.D., of Dallas, Texas, is President of Advent Communications and has provided communications products and consulting to leaders in network marketing for more than 15years, in addition to teaching communications at the university level both in the United States and abroad. His innovation and skill have been heralded in the Atlantic Monthly, Success Magazine, Wave 3, and numerous other national publications and broadcasts. He has been a frequent contributor to leading magazines and has acted as media spokesman for such major companies as A.L. Williams, Home Shopping Network, Nokia, Sunrider, Quorum, Nikken, Oxyfresh, Network 2000, and dozens of others. His skill in crisis intervention and media relations has been credited with rescuing dozens of Advent clients from media scrutiny. Dr. Jolley’s company is known for state-of-the art graphics production, including distributor kits and manuals and Web site production. Advent Communications also provides its clients award-winning video production, executive communications and distributor programs.

Robert Proctor is President of MultiSoft Corporation, a veteran provider of MLM Software to the Network Marketing Industry for over 25 years. With offices in the USA, Europe and Asia, MultiSoft Corporation provides turn-key and custom MLM software packages from start-ups to mature companies with a focus on “Internationalized” MLM software. Robert has worked with hundreds of companies around the globe and has been involved in nearly every aspect the network marketing industry for 16 years as a developer, designer, distributor, owner, operator, and provider to the industry. Robert has built down-line organizations exceeding 50,000 customers and 6,000 distributors. Robert has a diverse background that includes public speaking, radio & television, advertising and marketing, business law, accounting & finance, banking, sales, customer service, compensation plan evaluation, network operations, programming, design, and management.

Robert Butwin, of Santa Rosa, California, is the consummate MLM professional. He has built and led large distributor organizations. He is highly respected in the MLM corporate community and juggles his distributor schedule with duties as a mentor on recruiting to corporate management of many leading companies. He is the author of the highly acclaimed “Street Smart Networking,” available in bookstores everywhere.

Garvin DeShazer, Executive Consultant, Sheffield Group, has nearly 30 years experience as an entrepreneur. With 26 startups or acquisitions of his own, in industries ranging from alternative fuels to network marketing to fine arts, he has extensive experience in corporate and marketing management and driving sales. Included in his past corporate experience is the founding of a major direct selling company in the home security arena. He has served as a Senior Consultant for more than 60 network marketing companies where he focuses on strategic planning, key distributor development programs, creative writing, and project management.

Alfred White is a Senior Management Consultant for Hamilton LaRonde & Associates of San Diego, California and Vancouver, Canada. Mr. White has extensive international experience. For the last twenty-two years, Mr. White has been a management and marketing consultant to the direct selling, multilevel marketing and network marketing industries. Mr. White’s experience includes more than 200 assignments with a wide range of companies both domestic and international. He is highly regarded for his expertise in operations management and compensation plans. Mr. White designed the PDX computerized system for structuring new MLM companies. The PDX system is a very effective system that can bring a company from concept to fully operational at considerable savings in time and money. Above all Mr. White has a love for the MLM/Network marketing industry and devotes time and energy developing systems for the entrepreneur to be the owner of their own network marketing company. He is a featured writer of articles in national journals on the subject of network marketing.

Rod Cook is most commonly known as the MLM WatchDog of the industry. He studies the good of the MLM industry and at the same time tries to stomp out pyramid schemes. Part time he is a consultant who helps people start up new companies so they are a credit to the industry. At MLMWatchdog.com, editor in chief Rod Cook and his field reporters handle hundreds of questions or complaints a week about MLM companies. Rod jokingly says, “I live in the middle of the MLM Information Highway and get run over by trucks twice a day!” Rod is considered the ultimate MLM “marketing” inside information source! His articles have been published in over 30 different publications.

Sandy Elsberg, of Orange County, California, is one of the most successful and admired distributors in the MLM world. She has led huge sales networks over the years. She is sought out frequently by MLM companies and distributor groups to speak and train. She is the author of the best seller, Bread Winner, Bread Baker.

Wayne Hinkle is V.P. of Sales of Trinity Software of Dallas, Texas. Trinity is a leading technology solutions provider to network marketing companies. Prior to becoming V.P. of Sales, Hinkle served 20 years at Nortel Networks where he was responsible for customer service and satisfaction for the entire eight-state region of the SBC operator services division. He is a specialist in customer support and service as well as technical support, training and project management.

Greg White of Vancouver based Hamilton LaRonde has a twenty five year career in meeting management and coordination of MLM sales materials design and production. He has managed every single Starting and Running Conference since the 1980’s, more than 50 conferences, and supervised all of the art work for the conference.

Scott Fitzpatrick, Marketing Director of Pivotal Payments of Montreal, Canada. Pivotal is one of the leading merchant account processors for the Direct Selling/MLM industry, providing solutions for e-commerce online processing as well as traditional credit card, debit card and other processing for sales by direct selling companies and their sales force.

Sean Eggert is Director of National Sales with Hanna Shea Consulting, Scottsdale, Arizona, which provides Executive Search, Recruitment Process Outsourcing and International Staffing services for Fortune 500 clients. Additionally, Hanna Shea has a specialized search service that is dedicated to MLM and Direct Sales Organizations to identify and recruit top talent as members of the leadership management team.

Jeffery Boyle, of Nampa Idaho, is the CEO of Boyle Network, a focused industry resource specializing in empowerment of distributors and companies through multimedia production on the web and social networking. In addition, he is editor-in-chief of www.networkingstar.com, an educational and informative website profiling the people and issues of the network marketing industry.

Rosann (Ro) Shales, of The Sheffield Group, Scottsdale, Arizona, is a long time Party Plan expert. Ro is a veteran direct seller with multi-faceted experience, both in the sales field, having built her own $1.3M organization, and as a corporate executive working with companies like Tupperware, PartyLite and Jafra Cosmetics. This has served her well in working with start-up, established and mature-market companies. As a strategist and connector, Ro brings ideas and people together for increased recruiting, leader development, and retention to drive revenue and success. Roseann is the author of “RECRUIT! Connecting with People to Change Your Business and Your Life,” available in English and Spanish. RECRUIT is a valuable resource to everyone in MLM and Party Plan, both field and corporate, plus everyone who recruits volunteers or develops teams.

Patti Lamb, of Santa Barbara, California, is President of Alexandria Services. On behalf of startup and established MLM companies, Alexandria specializes in searching out multiple resource options for merchant account processing with established banking and processing financial organizations.

WHY?

The information you will gain and relationships that you will build by attending the conference are invaluable. You’ll receive information on how to:

– Structure your compensation plan
– Legalize your company
– Recruit key employees and top-ranking distributors
– Develop a business model
– Generate leads
– Fund your business organization
– Establish your website and technology platforms
– Better understand the direct selling industry
– And, so much more

Read why network marketing executives have consistently attended the MLM Startup Conference for over twenty years:

– [I] Launched [the company] Federal Chamber of Commerce in 2002, after attending your Conference. Contracted with Mr. Alfred White to consult on our Compensation Plan. Recruited 10,000 Reps and $5,000,000 volume in 9 months. Cashed out stock in 2003. Back again in 2013 with new partners and a new concept…

– We want to get the fundamentals and the basics down… get a good review of what needs to be done to be successful…

– We have a traditional business at the moment and we are looking to take it into the realm where it’s more personalized, it’s more about building people and an experience. It has been absolutely worth our trip. We are
looking to take our business to the next level and build relationships.

– [I’ve] been in network marking for 30 years [but] we are learning a lot of things about how to launch, how to reach the people we need to have, and again, the things that are required to make a successful company, not only for us but especially for our customers and for our affiliates.

– I want to teach other people how to run their own clothing business and have fun doing it. I have a distribution plan. I have a unique product that I need to take nationwide in a couple of months.

– I’m here because I want to know more about multi-level and I can replicate that experience in my country (Columbia) … It’s worth it to be here.

– The reason I came to the show was to learn more about how to launch my direct sales company. I’m very comfortable and accustomed to selling through more traditional networks; however, I believe that the product that I’m launching is more suitable for direct sales; to get direct-to-consumer faster and in greater sales.

– I have a huge to-do list… Once I know what I’m supposed to be working on I won’t spin my wheels.

(Additional testimonials can be seen in the following video: MLMlegal Releases New Film on MLM Startup Conference – Produced by Networkingstar.com.)

WHERE WILL THE MLM CONFERENCE BE HELD?

The MLM Startup Conference will be held in Las Vegas. Call 1-800-231-2162 for the exact location. Why don’t we advertise the exact location? Since our conference is solely educational (no selling or vending allowed!), we don’t allow vendors, distributors and other solicitors to attend the event. This enables us to maintain the conference’s high standards. Therefore, only registered guests are given the address after they’ve registered. However, if for some reason you cannot attend after registering, we will refund 100 percent of your attendance cost.

WHEN DOES THE MLM CONFERENCE TAKE PLACE?

February, May and October – Las Vegas, Nevada. Click HERE for current dates.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ATTEND?

The price to attend is $195 for the first person and each additional attendee is $150. We accept all major credit cards. Reservations must be made via phone, prior to the event. 503-226-6600 or 800-231-2162.

Want to attend the MLM Startup Conference in Las Vegas on a budget? Save $345 in registration fees!

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?

FREE to all attendees – “How To” Manual

Each attendee will receive a FREE copy of the Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Manual. Some of the chapters include:

Legal Issues
MLM Law in 50 States
FDA Health Claims: The Final Rules
The Snail that got Mugged: FTC v. Direct Selling
Start-up  Issues
Incorporating the Network Marketer
Five Dynamics that Drive An MLM Company Product
Creating Your Next Million Dollar Product
Treasure Hunting for New Products
Compensation Plans
Comp. Plan Conversion: Direct Sales to MLM
Your Compensation Plan’s Competitive Edge
Communications and Media
Focus on the Mission…Not the Commission!
When the Media Calls… Who Answers the Phone?

Attendees receive over 30 consulting hours with an array of industry experts – all in one location.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION?

Visit our main website:
www.mlmlegal.com

Read our blogs:
http://mlmlegal.com/MLMBlog/ and http://mlmattorney.com/blog/

Watch the videos:
MLMlegal Releases New Film on MLM Startup Conference – Produced by Networkingstar.com

The MLM Startup Conference in Las Vegas

MLM Startup Conference – A Must for Executives of Startup and Existing MLM Companies

Since You Are a MLM Attorney, Why Would You Host the MLM Startup Conference for the Executives of Startup and Existing Companies?

BEST BET?

Call us to register: 503-226-6600 or 800-231-2162

CAN’T MAKE IT?

As mentioned, our conference has taken place consistently over the last thirty years. We hold each conference three times per year. Join us in February, May or October. Check MLMLegal.com for the most current conference dates.

Don’t get fooled by copycat conferences! We host the original MLM Startup Conference – – responsible for launching many industry-leading companies — perfected over the course of a quarter of a century to ensure the highest quality of information, most knowledgeable experts, and most practical advice from qualified consultants.

Join us at our next conference! Over the course of two days, attendees will hear from scores of industry experts, and if they choose, can sign up to meet with the speakers for individual one-on-one time. A full list of speakers and their biographies/credentials can be found at http://www.mlmlegal.com/bio.html.

Lastly, learn how you can receive two FREE tickets to attend the May 2015 Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference by visiting our Innovation Campaign page.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Watch the video with expert MLM Attorney, Jeff Babener by CLICKING HERE.

For more information on any topic on network marketing that comes to mind, please visit www.mlmlegal.com and www.mlmattorney.com.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.