True entrepreneurs just keep trying until they find the idea that works. That’s the spirit of “fluid determinism” that Amway President Doug DeVos described when asked how Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos finally arrived at the business start-up idea that today is a $9.2 billion global enterprise.

During the Detroit Public TV (PBS) program, “Leaders on Leadership,” Doug provided insight on how Amway has changed due to its growth. But he also emphasized how the fundamental values that have created a common culture – and that continue to attract like-minded distributors and employees around the world – have remained the same at Amway for more than 50 years.

Doug cited the traits of entrepreneurs – being optimistic, willing to take risks –  that are still are part of our culture. However, as Amway continues to grow, he says it’s important to find “great people to help us” change, adapt and grow.

Don’t have time to exercise?  Don’t sweat it. Ten minutes of stretching, along with cardiovascular and strength exercises, can do the trick.

Studies show that a healthy diet combined with a short exercise routine can have a positive impact on our overall health.

At Amway, we encourage employees to be physically active throughout the day to achieve their own Optimal Health. In our California and Michigan facilities, for example, Amway offers the “Take 10” exercise program, a routine modified from the breakthrough 4321 program developed by Sean Foy, a lead fitness consultant for the Nutrilite Health Institute.

The program is simple. For 10 minutes, an employee volunteer leads a non-sweat exercise routine that helps with flexibility, coordination, strength, rejuvenation and counter-repetitive motions. Exercises include overhead reach, chin drops, shoulder rolls, elbow butterfly and chair squats.

It only takes a short time to make a long-term investment in feeling better and living longer.

Three Amway leaders recently shared their experiences and tips on what helped make their markets successful.  Responding quickly to the needs of a specific market is a common thread, but what that looks like in different markets is, well, different.

At Amway Russia, it meant quickly expanding the support network – stores and staff included – to provide distributors with products as their businesses grew exponentially when this market opened, general manager of Amway Russia Richard Stevens told The Voice of Russia.

For Amway Malaysia, where more than 60 percent of distributors are age 35 or younger, success required providing them with meaningful ways to interact with the company and its products, said Amway Malaysia’s Paul Yee in an interview with the radio station BFB 89.9. For example, Amway opened experience centers and stores so distributors could get the “touch and feel” experience they prefer.

Amway Vietnam has focused its efforts in educating the public, government officials and the media about the direct selling business model, which until recently was largely unknown in that country, general manager Kam Chiong told BaoMoi.com. The market also has provided continuous training to its distributors to ensure they have the best tools to successfully build their business.

Leveraging these differences supports active entrepreneurs and helps our businesses grow stronger together. How has innovative thinking helped your business transform?

We are delighted to announce our partnership with Australian screen actress, Teresa Palmer, as the new Global Face of ARTISTRY skincare and color, effective December 2011. Teresa will work exclusively with the ARTISTRY brand through 2014.

She is best known for her work in the box office hit, “I Am Number Four” with Alex Pettyfer, and has appeared in the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” alongside Nicolas Cage, “Bedtime Stories” with Adam Sandler, and “Take Me Home Tonight” with Topher Grace.  Her most recent film, “Wish You Were Here,” will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this month. She will also star in “AWOL” with Liam Hemsworth this year and “Warm Bodies” with Nicholas Hoult, which is slated for release in August 2012.

“I’m delighted to work with a brand like ARTISTRY that provides independence to so many women around the world, and does so with amazing products that help us look good and feel good about ourselves,” said Teresa Palmer.

 The decision to align with a celebrity face marks the emergence of ARTISTRY as a global competitor in the prestige beauty space with a revamped aesthetic, signature packaging and new product collections emphasizing innovation and performance, designed to meet the unique skin care needs of different ethnicities around the world.

Teresa Palmer will make her global debut in Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as the face of ARTISTRY’s fall 2012 color collection, Escape to Paradise.

For now, here’s a glimpse of Teresa from our latest photo shoot. We hope you think she’s as stunning as we do!

Fulton Innovation made a big splash at the Consumer Electronics Show this month in Las Vegas. The eCoupled wireless power technology that is making all this innovation possible comes from an Amway core product — our eSpring water treatment system. And Consumer Reports has an article on our product this month. Click here for more information.

With Harry Potter’s gleaming eyes staring at them, journalists from around the world checked out the Fulton Innovation booth at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas last week, attracted by the variety of uses our sister company has come up with to utilize its eCoupled technology.

Dozens of reporters from technology-focused publications like CNET, Gizmodo, Pocket-lint, and GadgetCom, and more traditional outlets like USA Today, CBS Detroit and MLive, were eager to learn more about an Entertainment Week magazine cover that had been wirelessly charged through printed electronics, making the headline and Daniel Radcliffe’s eyes light up. Also on display was a charging pad that wirelessly powers cell phones while still in a handbag.

Fulton Innovation is also the first company to use inductive energy through metal and provided a glimpse of that technology showing a car console able to wirelessly charge different devices.

In an interview with Engadget, Dave Baarman, director of advanced technologies for Fulton Innovation, said the company continues to look for new opportunities to deliver wireless charging capabilities to as many different consumer electronic products as possible.

So next January, stayed tuned. Who knows what Fulton Innovation will come up with by then?

Earlier this week, our Global Amway Brand Vice President Todd Woodward had the opportunity to share his views on online reputation management with the readers of World of Direct Selling News.

We think the whole article is worth your time, but here are a few direct quotes:

“[sic] Direct selling is the most human of businesses. . . we believe that helping humans – not companies – to be succesful is a world-changing approach. Translating that online is critical to improving our reputation.

“Our business is succesful because of people. Direct selling companies and our representatives are such a powerful online combination. If we work together, we can improve the online experience for our customers, prospects, media, bloggers and other influencers alike . . .

“We can show people the personalities behind our brand; add value to every conversation; and speak the universal truths about direct selling to the world: that people earn income; receive valuable training and personal development; take back their time and their lives; use their newly found station to impact greater social issues.

“We can make measurable improvements to our reputation and have a dramatic effect on our industry’s growth in the process.”

What do you think?

This morning, four of Grand Rapids’ finest cultural institutions announced a collaboration, titled “Museums Free 4 All,” to offer free admission on four Sundays in 2012.

January 22 is the first of these dates in which the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and Grand Rapids Art Museum will welcome the region’s residents for free from noon to 5 pm.

Amway is one of two major co-sponsors whose donation made this collaboration possible. Through it, a family of five who goes to one museum on each free Sunday could save as much as $114 this year.

Said Global Amway Brand Manager David Madiol, “We know how fortunate we are to have world-class cultural facilities right here in the backyard of Amway. We believe in so many things this program stands for, such as affordable family time; collaborations that benefit our community; and of course, the chance for more kids to understand the ways art, play and history impact our society. We’re excited to be a part of this.”

It’s a big job – or perhaps we should say jobs – to provide support to more than three million entrepreneurs around the world.

Those jobs might be in market research; product development; marketing; logistics; project management; finance; or training and education. No matter what department, the width and depth of career options at Amway may be one of the talent acquisition world’s best kept secrets.

Until now.

The Talent Acquisition team at Amway recently updated its Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter presence to include real-time job postings, build a vibrant community for job seekers, and use social media to help select and hire the most highly-qualified candidates.

After all, the 14.4 million people who used social media to find their last job can’t be wrong. Neither can the five out of six recruiters who use it to keep pace with the intense competition for the best and brightest employees.

We’ll be using these channels to do much more than recruit. We’ll be telling stories of our global achievements. Showcasing our expertise. And in general, providing an experience to job candidates that gets them talking about Amway, no matter the results of their current job search. So if you know someone who aspires to help people live better lives through employment at Amway, send them our way.

You can help us put Amway on the A-list of A-list talent.

[Pictured: Consumer & Market Insights Manager Randy Locke.]