Today we spend 5 minutes with one of our “nutritional sleuths,” Samantha Izzy. Samantha is a nutrition investigator in Buena Park. She joined Nutrilite in 2008 and describes her job as a liaison between science and the rest of the world.

How did you get started in this type of work?

I started in school at Purdue University as a pharmacy student. But I realized I wanted to be involved in prevention, so I switched into the dietetics program. When I saw a job opening at Nutrilite in Southern California, I applied, got the job, and moved from Indiana to Orange County. It was a great move!

What do you work on each day?

Every day I touch a little bit of everything. In product development we do a lot of research: exploring new ingredients we can put into products, understanding the benefits of those ingredients and how they will function in the human body. We do a lot of reputational work as well, publications and presentations to different audiences, including distributors.

You just returned from a trip to India. What did you do there?

It was huge, and very exciting. They’re launching their women’s health product line, so I traveled to five different cities, five days in a row to support the launch. I gave presentations to distributors on what a woman needs to maintain good health through the different stages in life and where supplements fit in. We highlighted NUTRILITE Complex for Hair, Skin and Nails; Tri Iron Folic; Cal Mag D Plus; and Black Cohosh and Soy. The audiences were the largest I’ve ever presented to; the people were really excited.

Did you feel like a rock star?

I did, people were asking for autographs. I kept joking that I felt like Madonna when I was on stage. But it’s so cool to see people this excited about health and well-being. They’re so passionate about it. That’s what we live for working in this industry.

What does Optimal Health mean to you?

It’s the million dollar concept: Striving to live a healthy life helps enhance the quality of life. I get all the healthy food I need, and I take my basic supplements each day. I take a multivitamin and omega-3. I take Complex for Hair, Skin and Nails, and I take Cal Mag D. I notice that when I take my supplements each day and maintain an active lifestyle, something as simple as walking in the evening, I feel better and happier. And I have the faith that I’m extending my life.

Today Amway’s parent company, Alticor, announced record sales of USD$11.3 billion for 2012. 

That’s a huge accomplishment, driven by the strength of our NUTRILITE™ brand, which accounts for 46 percent of product sales. The introduction of eSpring™ in China in 2012, the company’s biggest product launch ever, and the restaging of the ARTISTRY™ beauty brand, created excitement and generated strong sales. First-year sales of eSpring in China are expected to top USD$500 million.

Those are impressive numbers.  But we calculate success another way:  The strength of  the millions of Amway distributors operating their own businesses in more than 100 countries and territories, supported by more than 21,000 employees worldwide.  They are drawn to our business to earn extra income and create more flexibility and work/life balance. When they achieve, we achieve. 

That’s why in 2013 we’ll fuel their success through USD$335 million in investments in manufacturing and research and development expansions in the U.S., China, India and Vietnam.  We’ll continue to create innovative products in nutrition and beauty.  And we’ll find new ways to support our distributors doing business wherever they are.

Congratulations to our distributors and employees on another record year.  Thanks to you, we have a “strength in numbers” that creates success.

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Did you know that Amway employees and distributors have volunteered more than 2.5 million hours to make the communities where they work and live a better place?

Read about our ongoing efforts around the world in the 2011 Amway Global Corporate Citizenship Report published today, or in the Amway One By One blog.  That blog, by the way, was recently honored as the “Best Corporate Social Responsibility” blog by PR News.

While the concept of direct selling was virtually unknown in India just 15 years ago, the industry is thriving  today.

Direct Selling News, in a November cover story about India, says direct selling is “tailor made” for the market.

As Amway India’s Managing Director Bill Pinckney said in the article, “The business model does work incredibly well in India, and it has lasted and proven its detractors wrong.  Thousands and thousands of Indian entrepreneurs of all ages now earn important income for themselves and their families through the direct selling industry.”

Those entrepreneurs fueled a 24 percent increase in industry sales in 2010, and  Direct Selling News predicts direct selling will continue to grow at an annual rate of 15 – 20 percent over the next five years.

Amway opens its doors to journalists all over the world to share our story of product brands, business opportunities, enduring relationships and global citizenship.

That’s why nearly a dozen journalists from India’s top media recently visited the Nutrilite Center for Optimal Health in Buena Park. Their hosts were Amway India and our Nutrilite experts in California.

A  focus on safety and how the industry should be regulated in India kept the conversation lively.  As reporters learned about the science behind Nutrilite products, they had plenty of questions. How do you know which nutrients your body needs? How do you ensure product quality and safety?

They also took notes and photos in the fields and greenhouses of the Agricultural Research Farm for Nutrilite products at Lakeview. More questions followed:  Who audits your sustainable farming practices? What crops are you growing to develop new products?

Dr. Sam Rehnborg, whose father Carl Rehnborg, introduced the Nutrilite brand, encouraged  the journalists to share the optimal health story with their readers.  

As of press time, they already are.

Today Amway’s parent company, Alticor, announced record sales of  US$9.2 billion for 2010.

This performance reflects a 9.5 percent increase over the $8.4 billion in sales posted in 2009, and is the 10th sales increase in the last 11 years.

Growth was fueled by strong performance in China, Amway’s biggest market, as well as gains in India, Korea and the Americas.

“We had a strong year across the map,” said chairman Steve Van Andel. “Amway was able to gain market share in the direct selling industry, and our key product lines improved their competitive position as well.”

Added president Doug DeVos, “Awareness of Amway’s business opportunity and product brands continues to grow as we invest in brand-building. We believe in the potential of this business, and so do our distributors.”

The current issue of Chief Executive magazine features a story about “Amway’s New Way.”

That “new way” is how Amway has successfully crossed borders, bridged cultural gaps and adapted to the needs of consumers in the more than 80 countries and territories in which we operate.

As Amway President Doug DeVos says,  ”What we’re trying to do now is become really good at being local in every market in which we operate. It’s not just a multinational effort, but really understanding what it means to be an Indian company in India, a Chinese company in China, a Brazilian or Mexican company in Latin America.”

Part of that, adds Chairman Steve Van Andel, is a commitment to understanding the different needs everywhere we operate, to ”take a look at all the markets we’re in and figure out how to better service those customers.”

Global success?  For Amway, it’s a matter of going local.

The achievements of exceptional Indian women were center stage last week at the  India Today Woman Summit & Awards in Mumbai, presented by Amway.

The summit featured big name speakers like Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi and Marianne Pearl, widow of slain journalist Daniel Pearl.  But the real stars were the winners of the India Today Woman Awards – 12 women representing the arts, business, sports, public service and social activism.  Amway India sponsored the “Woman of the Year” and “Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year” honors.

The event was created, in the words of India Today Group Editor in Chief Aroon Purie, to “not only acknowledge the contribution of these women but…also allow the newer generation of women, to learn, share and experience what it takes to be the best.” 

And that’s something we’re proud to support.

Pick up a copy of any business journal and you know that the economic climate in India is as hot as ever. The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and direct-selling industries in particular are gathering steam as indicated by several major Indian broadsheets, including Business Line and Business Standard.* Based on 2009 figures, the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations also reports that direct selling in India eclipsed USD$1 billion in estimated retail sales.

As the popularity of our business model surges throughout India—most recently in smaller metropolises and rural regions—it’s no wonder that Amway India has launched a widespread TV, print and outdoor ad campaign for our NUTRILITE™ brand. Combined with new product roll-outs, increased brand experience centers and 34,000-plus trainings in 2010, Amway is poised to retain its lead position in the India direct-selling market for years to come.

Of course, it’s not just our efforts to improve financial health in India, but also healthcare as just blogged by Jesse Hertstein from our One by One team.

* Many Indian press stories are unavailable online, though yes we do read the papers.

Amway India Vice President of Legal and Corporate Affairs Yoginder Singh was recently named chairman of the Indian Direct Selling Association.

He’s the latest in a long line of Amway leaders to helm direct selling trade organizations in our markets.

A dozen company execs currently lead direct selling associations in Belgium, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mexico, Romania, Singapore and Taiwan.

They carry on a tradition of service that dates back to when our Co-Founder Rich DeVos served as chairman of the U.S. Direct Selling Association.   

Thanks to Yogi for being the latest in a long line of leaders to lead our industry.