Direct Selling Education Foundation partners with NACCE
The Direct Selling Education Foundation and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship partnered in 2011 to develop a program designed to improve the entrepreneurial skills of direct sellers across the nation.
In September 2011, DCTC was selected as one of three national sites to pilot this five-week, 30-hour, non-credit certificate. While the program was offered, the participants were actively engaged in providing feedback to the curriculum’s author, Beth Hagen, so a final version of the program can soon be available nationally through the community college community. The individuals who participated in the pilot training are active direct sellers building their own businesses and helping others achieve success in this growing business community.
At the graduation ceremony on Nov. 17, 2011, participants shared their perspectives on the training and how it has impacted them individually in such a short period of time. Their comments ranged from increasing their knowledge of how to sell to the benefits of networking with other direct sellers that are not involved in the same affiliations and product lines as they are. One participant shared with the group how she took the communication tools from the classroom to an expo in which she was participating in the next weekend and saw an increase in sales volume from the techniques learned in the course. All the participants commented on their excitement and anticipation of the national roll out of the training so they could share it with their colleagues.
Christine Pigsley, a DCTC entrepreneurship/small business instructor, said, “We see the direct selling industry evolving to meet the needs of a new generation of entrepreneurs in this country. DCTC is also evolving its educational offerings to meet its mission of education for employment, or should I say education, for self-employment in a new economy.”
DCTC has been an active leader in bringing direct selling in to the entrepreneurship education community for the past two years and is offering a credit based, financial aid eligible certificate in Small Business Operations that is geared to the needs of the home-based direct seller. The faculty is currently working to fill a direct sellers cohort group that will participate in the 18 credits of college coursework over the next year.
Congratulations to all DSEF graduates!
- Amy Storch
- Sarah Kessler
- Katy Lange
- Mindy Sayre
- Kathy Grannes
- Linda Lucas
- Linda Sheplee
- Edward Geiger
- Laura Lonergan
- Brenda Weiner
- Yelena Uscheva
- Lisa Pelton
- Tere Workman
DSEF Graduation Video
For more information, contact:
- Christine Pigsley
Entrepreneurship/Small Business Instructor
651-423-8330
