Digital groups give people the opportunity to connect with like-minded people and make connections with people with similar interests and experiences. These groups have also become a privileged place for networking, making social media less individualistic and isolated. The power of online communities grew exponentially during the Covid-19 pandemic when it provided people with a platform not only to connect and interact, but also to find compassion and support. According to Facebook and NYU’s GovLab report, ‘The Power of Virtual Communities’, more than 1.8 billion people worldwide use Facebook Groups every month and around 42.1% of Indians said their most important group is online.2 This is not surprising considering the smartphone has become the medium of the masses, with high-speed Internet connectivity further accelerating its adoption.

The rise of social commerce

A significant impact of the rise of online groups and their increased connectivity has been on the passion economy. Today, many millennials create tight-knit communities on social media and monetize their skills and passions through them. Digital communities on social media enable these passionate entrepreneurs to build successful businesses while becoming safe spaces to talk, share expert knowledge and discuss their interests. New era entrepreneurs now have a playground where they can test new ideas and strategies, and also unleash the power of communities to grow their businesses. This, in turn, gave a major boost to one of the oldest and most successful avenues of entrepreneurship – direct selling.

Digital enthusiasts in the direct selling industry are now engaging with consumers through their strong online networks and tapping into new revenue streams. Unlike in the past, direct selling is no longer a door-to-door service, and entrepreneurs are successfully expanding their reach beyond the conventional audience, regardless of their work experience. Through the power of social commerce, they are leveraging social media platforms to interact with like-minded people, offer personalized solutions, showcase products, and generate leads. Additionally, many young entrepreneurs who once struggled to balance their work commitments with their entrepreneurial dreams have found their way into the passion economy. Today, whether it’s giving beauty tips on Instagram, hosting live workouts on Facebook, or sharing healthy recipes through reels and messages, these passionpreneurs have carved out a niche on social media.

Building personal brands

Sunil Sharma is one such entrepreneur in the direct selling industry who has turned his passion into a successful business by leveraging the power of social media. Sunil, originally from Hisar in Haryana, was a teacher before starting his business with
Amway. He has always had a penchant for off-road biking and adventure and decided to give wings to this passion through social networks. He started posting photos and videos of his cycling experiences and gradually many cycling enthusiasts started following him. With 33,100 followers on Instagram, Sunil now runs a thriving online community of fitness enthusiasts with a passion for cycling.

Check out Sunil Sharma’s Instagram here.


Another passionate entrepreneur, Pramilla Ohlson, has always had a passion for health and started using the Nutrilite line of nutritional supplements in 2007 and has personally experienced tremendous benefits for herself and her family. Little by little, the people around her wanted to access the
Nutrilite products and she became part of the
Amway business. Her passion for health and nutrition then grew into a large online community where she shares her own beliefs about food, nutrition and health. His Instagram community currently has over a million subscribers and a growing YouTube channel. When asked what advice she has for those just starting their social media journey, Pramilla replies, “Consistency is the key to success. What has worked for me is that I don’t aim for perfection. I always try to share healthy and simple principles to apply, and above all to be only myself”.

One of the biggest appeals of direct selling is that it gives aspiring entrepreneurs the ability to turn their passion into action without massive seed capital or specific educational qualifications. With the rise of digital communities and social commerce, direct sellers also don’t have to compromise on their financial stability as they juggle other tasks with online businesses.

To verify Pramila OhlsonThe Instagram page of here.


Passionpreneur Abisesh Mohapatra is testimony to this. Before becoming a direct selling partner with
Amway, Abisesh, a resident of Bhubaneswar, was a dedicated mechanical engineer. His passion for fitness led him to follow in the footsteps of his parents who are also Amway Senior Direct Selling Partners. From lengthy board meetings, he moved on to live interactive sessions and creating engaging content around his passion for fitness. “For me, passion is the drive to put your best foot forward and your true power lies in mastering your passion. My passion is fitness, which is why I’ve built my business around it,” says Abishesh, who is also an avid traveler, lifestyle influencer, and health and wellness consultant, currently leads a thriving community of followers on Instagram and hones all roles with finesse.


The main drivers of social commerce that give wings to passionate entrepreneurs

The growing success of new era entrepreneurs can be attributed in large part to the unprecedented rate at which social media is becoming the new marketplace for consumers. Social commerce has redefined the retail space and blurred geographic boundaries to open up new opportunities and help businesses grow. With people spending more time online, digital shopping is gaining in importance as it brings them the convenience of one-click shopping, customization and variety, rewards and discounts, and a sense of trust due to the ability to discuss purchasing decisions with their connected communities. . This has been further accelerated by the growing popularity of online transactions which has bridged the gaps between direct sellers and consumers.

The increasing adoption of digital also allows entrepreneurs to sell their products in the most innovative way. They can now leverage a variety of social formats to connect with their customers, promote their business through entertaining content like reels, work on custom solutions, diversify their business with multiple platforms, generate leads and leverage social media analytics to drive engagement.

In this regard, Amway, one of the oldest names in the direct selling industry, as part of its 10-year growth vision, emphasizes social commerce as a means to enhance entrepreneurship. and therefore began to integrate offline with online (O2O) to generate targeted results. Amway Direct Selling Partners now lead vibrant online communities built around shared passions of health, beauty, fitness, cooking, healthy living, and adventure. They provide personalized product experiences by integrating their offline connection with the online network. This explains why Amway has seen online sales through its website double from 33.6% in February 2020 to over 70% today. Much of this can be attributed to his efforts to train and develop his direct selling partner to build and grow his business through social commerce. For this, Amway has also introduced its unique program called Creators.

To follow Abisesh Mohapatra’s Instagram here.



Creators: boosting the sales journey on social networks

Amway Creators is a platform that now provides entrepreneurs with the digital skills to build and grow their business using social media platforms. It has enabled many new and existing entrepreneurs to build communities with and engage with like-minded people, turning their passions into prosperity. These entrepreneurs are now using innovative digital media such as reels, stories, live sessions, and engaging posts to grow their Amway business and sell their products in all geographies. To this end, Amway has introduced several initiatives like #Amwaynofilter which includes training on producing eye-catching content and photography, candid conversations with outside influencers and creators, and other engagement activities. Thus, creators enable them to use personal branding and social commerce to grow their Amway business and currently Amway has been able to reach over 4500 direct selling partners from various walks of life and locations through this program who are making the most of their social communities to take their passion and business to greater heights.

In an ever-changing world, getting up to speed with the latest trends is the best way to stay on top, especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. Amway’s efforts to empower its direct selling partners by making them digital savvy are especially helpful during the economic gloom left by the pandemic. With social media becoming the great equalizer, small entrepreneurs like housewives, students, and professionals now have a level playing field to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams and gain financial flexibility.

To learn more about the Amway opportunity,
Click here

_{1.https://datareportal.com/reports/a-decade-in-digital
2.https://www.exchange4media.com/digital-news/facebook-is-deeply-entrenched-in-the-cultural-fabric-of-india-avinash-pant-115330.html}

Disclaimer: This article was produced on behalf of Amway by the Internet Times Spotlight Team