As a small business owner there are so many things I’ve learned over the past few years, how to properly find an accountant, how to invoice properly, how to time-block & most importantly how to find a good community and network like the Direct Sellers Association of Canada.

When I was younger, I was always confused as to what I’d end up doing, but I did know one thing for sure: I wanted to work for myself. I wanted to be my own boss, set my own hours, decide when I went on vacation and be able to fully support myself. Being able to run my own profitable business has allowed me opportunities that I never would’ve been able to achieve in a standard “corporate job”.

Recently I found out about DSA aka the Direct Sellers Association, they’re the recognized voice for the Canadian Direct Selling Industry: think Arbonne, Mary Kay & Brands like Pampered Chef. What do bloggers and Direct Sellers have in common? We are passionate about what we do, we’re experts in being entrepreneurs and we all work for ourselves.

When I started running my own business, having a community like the Direct Sellers Association would’ve been such an advantage. It provides a membership directory to help people find a great company to partner with, and from there you can become part of a network of like-minded people, which is so key to running a successful business. The DSA provides important resources to help you build a profitable business on your own.

The DSA works to educate people not only about the industry but about their options to work for themselves, as well as educating their members about the benefits of Direct Selling & ensuring customer protection by enforcing their Codes of Ethics & Business Practices.

The DSA has also been able to connect me with other AMAZING entrepreneurs in the community like Patricia Roy-Pagé –  A Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant for almost 7 years! She started as a university student with a dream: she wanted to work for herself and own her own business, sound familiar? Patricia says that by running her own business, she has learned that you need to be willing to put in the work and learn from both your successes and your failures.

“Effort is everything. If you put in time and effort and work with passion, the sky is the limit!” – Patricia

If you’re considering becoming an independent consultant within the direct selling industry, I suggest looking into companies that are members of the DSA, as they’re held to an extremely high standard of business practices.

You can visit DSA.ca to learn more about direct selling and #FindYourCommunity

*This post is sponsored by the Direct Sellers Association of Canada, as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. *