Amway is in the news quite frequently, and why wouldn’t we be? We lead our industry, have inspired millions, and win quality and excellence awards on a regular basis. We’re proud of those accomplishments, to be sure, but we’re also proud of what real distributors – current and former – have shared with us about their experience with Amway.

Are there critics of Amway in the online space? Absolutely – just like any other company. We care deeply about what’s said about us, and work hard to address the complaints we receive. But given that one of our cofounders wrote a book on positivity, it’s no surprise that we like to focus on that.

Below are some things about Amway that have been shared online, from former distributors both anonymous and identified:

• “I experienced a profound mental change. One moment I was an employee, and the next, I was an employee and a business owner. This was a monumental shift . . . you can read all you want about starting a business, but it’s different when you actually have your own business. . . it was something I couldn’t appreciate until I did it.”
• “Amway can help you learn to lead and work with people more effectively. It can also help you overcome fears such as public speaking or even talking to people.”
• “Amway provides a safe place for new business owners to grow and learn.”
• “I joined Amway in 1990 and left in ‘91. I never made money in Amway, but I met some decent people who were all dreamers – it was contagious and I learned how to believe – which is 4/5 of the battle. It was one of the most memorable times in my life . . . “
• “Amway was very beneficial to me and many people in my life. It is an incredible business for self-growth and I highly recommend this business vehicle to anyone who is looking for more in life.”
• “The Amway company is reliable . . . If you produce ‘x’ result, you will get paid ‘x’ compensation. Always! The only variables are a) who will you be learning from; b) how well will you listen to them; and c) how much work are you willing to put in?”
• “Not only do they help everyday average people open their own business, but they also help the world and local community.”
• “I spent 13-15 years in Amway and gained a whole new attitude in life, which is priceless to me. I may not be building Amway now, but from the things I have learned that I have applied to my life today and also to other businesses that we are building, I became the man I am today!”

Those are just a sampling of the ratings and reviews that give all of us something to write home about!

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to take part in a video shoot for new hires and interns hosted by Amway’s Talent Acquisition team. During this session, I was asked questions about my experience here at Amway. As the “new guy” I was still trying to navigate our massive parking lot and struggled to remember what building my department was in. To think of my broader understanding of the Amway brand took a little more time, and I ended up navigating a non-traditional avenue for orientation.

I live in a world of Google, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Even though I was supplied great training materials, the conversations and images that I found within the social space are what really helped me to not only understand Amway, but better relate to our global presence, products, employees and distributors.  

Amway might be a 53-year-old story, but more than ever it’s a relevant story, especially within the realms of social media.

So how did I wrap my head around a company with 20,000 employees, over 3 million distributors and a footprint in more than 100 countries and territories?

From the Americas to Malaysia, the Amway brand experience has common threads and a unified story. This brand has values and beliefs which center on a universal dream that any man or woman, no matter what their background, could have their own business. This kind of story telling is international and inspiring.  

To keep a rolling conversation, my Amway experience is chronicled in tweets, blog entries, Facebook posts, Instagram photos, YouTube videos and social media press releases. 

How a product smells and tastes matters.

That’s why our in-house descriptive testing panel at Amway World Headquarters undergoes 120 hours of training — to prepare their tastebuds and olfactory reflexes for product testing.

Three days a week, these professionals taste, smell and discuss a range of products currently available to our distributors and their customers, as well as new concepts still under development.

How does a descriptive testing panel work? The testers spend several minutes silently studying the aroma and flavor. They use attributes – such as sweet, aromatic, sour or astringent — to classify the product. After their observations are recorded, a panel leader facilitates discussion to capture and summarize the findings.

Our descriptive testing team provides rapid results and an analytical measurement that continously improve our products – a sniff and taste at a time.

Would you like to have a conversation with top experts from a global company in your area of interest…manufacturing, R&D, marketing? If so, do we have a surprise for you!

Last week, Amway Talent Acquisition’s Facebook corporate careers page piloted its first guest-hosted Facebook discussion. During the conversation Jim Brundidge, director of manufacturing at our Nutrilite Lakeview, California, operation, discussed manufacturing and labor trends and shared insights gained in his almost 35 years at Amway.

The pilot went so smoothly that our Talent Acquisition group plans to do it again.

From R&D and manufacturing to supply chain and business services, Amway has more than 20,000 dedicated subject matter experts who serve our distributors and want to change the world. We call them employees – and they’re ready to engage in discussions that benefit their functions, industries and global communities.

So check out Amway’s Talent Acquisition page at www.facebook.com/amwaytalent and join us in the next conversation, and stay tuned for future Facebook discussions with Amway industry experts.

Our guest blogger is Jon Brickner, of Amway Talent Acquisition.

As top distributors celebrated their 2011 accomplishments at a recent Amway Latin America Leadership Seminar, hundreds of distributors from Venezuela to Argentina cheered them on, both in Portuguese and Spanish.

For the first time, they were able to share the excitement only the top distributors of the region usually get to experience – without leaving their home markets. 

Amway TV broadcast the event live through a new webcast recently unveiled by the Instituto de Negocios (INA) of Amway Latin America.

Amway TV serves primarily as a training tool, allowing distributors to watch live in-language interviews with product experts and Amway staff. During the Toronto seminar, distributors were able to take part in a bigger motivational event that included presentations by Amway President Doug DeVos and Amway Latin America President Jeff Dahl.

INA Coordinator Michael Corcoran said distributors liked what they saw, as the webcasts received more than 12,000 views and 500 comments. Said one distributor, “What a beautiful moment… I’m not there but I can feel the energy that’s being lived there.”