General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Mannatech
Search every verified Erin Barta interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Erin Barta, general counsel and corporate secretary at Mannatech, discussed the company’s recent initiatives and regulatory challenges in a November 2024 episode of the MomoTalks podcast. She stated that in June 2024, Mannatech soft-launched a new company called Trul Lube, which she described as an “Innovation Hub” for products and business models, operating as a hybrid affiliate program. Barta said the company is focused on simplifying its business and leveraging digital tools to reach a younger demographic, noting that “everything is done on our cell phones these days.” She also mentioned that Mannatech’s Mission Five Million Foundation has surpassed its goal of providing nutrition to five million children by adding a phytol blend powder to meal kits for orphanages and feeding programs. Barta addressed regulatory pressures facing the direct selling industry, saying the company is “always going to have to keep trying to adapt to whatever the FTC throws at us” and that proposed changes to the business opportunity rule and earnings claims “could fundamentally change the business model.” She noted that Mannatech is also regulated by the FDA in the dietary supplement space and must monitor new dietary ingredient rules. Barta added that the industry is “still in a limbo waiting to see what happens with Neora,” which she said “is going to dictate some changes.” She described her role as working closely with the financial reporting team, given Mannatech is a publicly traded small-cap company on NASDAQ, and building rapport with sales, marketing, and R&D departments to help pivot materials in response to regulatory focus.
“Manitech is a publicly traded company, we're a small cap public company traded on NASDAQ, and so I work really closely with our financial reporting team as well.”
“From a company standpoint, we're looking to make things simpler, to simplify the business, and from an associate perspective, what digital tools can we leverage and roll out to them that makes it easier for them to reach prospective customers and prospective Associates.”
“As fast as technology changes, we need to keep up, especially if we want to target a younger demographic. Everything is done on our cell phones these days, so we've got to ensure that we've got the right tools that are going to reach and teach people where they're at.”
“I think we are still in a limbo waiting to see what happens with Neora. I think that's going to dictate some changes and see how this ruling is, but I think we can still adapt to certain things.”
“My boss Al Bala talks about direct selling as the initial gig, like the first gig. It's true. So how do we meet people where they are today, who want to make just a few hundred bucks initially a month as supplemental income?”
“In June, we did a soft launch of another company called Trul Lube, which we view as an Innovation Hub for both products and how the business model may evolve. It's somewhat of a hybrid affiliate program with elements of earning based on someone's sales below you, but it's very simple with a link you can post on social...”
“We're always going to have to keep trying to adapt to whatever the FTC throws at us. The proposed changes to the business opportunity rule and earnings claims could fundamentally change the business model, so we've got to be prepared to pivot.”
“We're also regulated by the FDA in the dietary supplement space, so we have to be mindful of new challenges like new dietary ingredients and how the FDA is reacting to the marketplace.”
“We try to build rapport with sales, marketing, R&D, and other departments to keep track of what's happening not only in direct selling but also in dietary supplements, so they can pivot marketing materials and training to fit what the FTC or FDA is focused on.”
“The Mission Five Million Foundation started to get nutrition to five million children and we've surpassed that. We add a phytol blend powder with vitamins and minerals to meal kits for orphanages and feeding programs to bolster the nutritional content of those meals.”
The next installment of the MomoTalks podcast series is now available! Listen in as host Anabelle Gilliam talks with Erin Barta, the ...
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