Amway: Continuation of a legacy

You are the second generation inheriting the legacy from the two co-founders - your father Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel. How do you feel about your role in continuing the journey that began in a basement in 1959?

I feel both honored and responsible to carry forward the legacy of my father and Uncle Jay. Amway started humbly, in 1959, but has since grown into a global corporation operating in over 100 countries and territories, offering opportunities in proactive health, beauty, and home care products to millions of people.

What truly defines Amway’s value is not just its global scale, but the foundational principles that have changed the lives of so many individuals. I see myself not only as a leader, but as a steward who preserves and develops this family legacy for future generations.

Amway was built on four foundational principles established by the two co-founders. Can you tell us more about these four principles and explain why they remain relevant after nearly 70 years?

The four foundational principles, which we call the Founder’s Fundamentals, are: Freedom, Family, Hope, and Reward.

•   Freedom means creating opportunities for every individual to take control of their own life and business.

•   Family emphasizes building a business based on strong, lasting relationships.

•   Hope is about instilling belief in a better future.

•   Reward recognizes and fairly compensates effort and achievement.

These principles are not just philosophy; they serve as the guiding compass for every strategic decision. We believe a business can only grow sustainably when it helps people grow. After nearly 70 years, they remain as powerful as ever because they speak to the fundamental aspirations of human beings.

As Amway expanded globally, the foundational principles were reinforced by four core values. How do you see the role of these values in managing an organization that operates in over 100 countries and territories?

The four core values are Partnership, Integrity, Personal Worth, and Personal Responsibility. They function like the “operating system” of Amway, ensuring consistency in our culture and operations no matter which market we are in. Thanks to these values, our global distributor community remains strongly connected. Each person is not only building a business but also becoming part of the brand’s enduring legacy, working together to spread positive values.

The reason that the Amway business is able to stay together globally is because of the way the business works and how we stay connected to each other. We all rely on each other. The field, and the Amway business owners rely on the company and the company relies on them. And the way that the compensation plan is structured, the way that the overall legal positioning of the business is structured, connects people to each other. And if we’re aligned and doing the same things and working together, it works beautifully.

Vietnam is emerging as one of the most dynamic markets in Amway’s strategy. What are your thoughts on the entrepreneurial spirit and development aspirations of the Vietnamese people in relation to the values Amway upholds?

This is my sixth time in Vietnam. We studied different countries around the world, and Vietnam consistently stood out as one of the most entrepreneurial and optimistic markets we observed around the world. This market had the most entrepreneurial spirit. It had the most optimism about the future, of any country around the world. And so that’s why I’d say it just gives me joy to see it being realized, to see it happening, and to see what people have worked so hard to accomplish and knowing that they’re just getting started.

The future for this country is dynamic and wonderful and you can see the trends of where it’s been but most importantly where it’s going. And that’s what’s so fun to come back and see and go “Wow”. It is really progressing. It’s really gaining momentum and moving forward.

I am deeply impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit and strong development aspirations of the Vietnamese people. It clearly reflects the values that my father and Uncle Jay believed in since 1959.

With its young and dynamic economy, Vietnam is not only a fast-growing market but also an important benchmark in our regional strategy. We believe the principles of Freedom, Family, Hope, and Reward will continue to support Vietnamese people in building a better future.

Amway Business Owners (ABOs), or the distributors, are seen as the true inheritors of the founders’ philosophy. What message would you like to share with the ABO community in Vietnam as the company approaches its 20th Anniversary (A20)?

The ABOs are the ones who turn the founders’ philosophy into reality every single day. While the two co-founders laid the foundation, millions of distributors worldwide and especially in Vietnam are continuing to write this story.

On the occasion of A20, I want to say this to our ABOs: Keep living and spreading the core values. You are not only building businesses but also contributing to a healthier and better way of living for the community. The future belongs to those who dare to dream big and act with responsibility.

A70 globally and A20 in Vietnam are not just commemorative milestones. In your view, what is the deepest meaning of these events in the journey of continuing the legacy?

A70 and A20 are more than just numbers. They represent the continuation of a legacy across multiple generations - from the founders’ family, to the leadership team, and to millions of distributors around the world. These milestones give us the opportunity to reflect on the journey so far, express gratitude for everyone’s efforts, and look toward the future with the mission “Founded for Better.”

It’s a wonderful milestone. And it’s a great opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments. Remember when we started, the business was so small, we didn’t have any of these products. We didn’t have any of this technology. We didn’t have it but we worked through it. Now here we are. But the important part of these celebrations, these milestones, is that we’re not stuck there. We can use it and say now, think about the next 20 years of the event. And so we use it as a way to encourage us to set bigger goals, to have higher aspirations, to challenge ourselves to be even better, to welcome the new generation.

We’re looking forward, and you are going to be part of the next one, you’re going to be the one who shapes that. You’re going to be the ones in 20 years that are going to be on stage. You’re going to be telling your stories, and then you’re going to be doing it for the next year as well. That’s why it’s so important for us to do these services.

Vietnam will continue to play an important role as Amway works with local communities to create more opportunities for people to build their own businesses and live better lives. A legacy truly lives on when it continues to inspire and create positive impact in people’s lives.