Just when it seemed like the economy couldn’t get any worse, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the unemployment rate climbed to a dire 7.6 percent in January. It’s a staggering statistic and one that paints a picture of the harsh reality of the country’s workforce. What the figure fails to show, however, is that business opportunities exist behind all of the doom and gloom.

Now thriving in the middle of an economic crisis, direct selling companies are empowering individuals to take back control over their finances. Based on a business model that incorporates flexible hours and incentive-based pay, the industry is proving that all sectors are not created equal when it comes to surviving the economic malaise.

Distributors for Reliv International are part of a growing group of business entrepreneurs that, according to the Direct Sellers Association’s latest study, included 15 million direct sellers in the U.S. in 2007. Of this group, 31 percent were able to fuel their business by dedicating just one to four hours of work a week to their direct selling endeavor – indicating that opportunity exists even for those interested in supplementing current employment or to simply work part-time.

“Direct selling offers a range of career choices for individuals,” said R. Scott Montgomery, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Reliv International, a direct seller of nutritional products and supplements. “Your level of commitment can be personally tailored to meet your financial needs or your schedule.”

Montgomery adds that a major benefit of the Reliv direct selling model is its product platform, which is perfectly positioned to respond to the rising demand for health- and wellness- based products.

“A growing group of people are making their health and wellness a priority, and these consumers will not allow economic pressures to disrupt their nutritional routine,” said Montgomery. Unlike other industries that are currently experiencing a drop in consumer spending, the segment of nutritional products and supplements is actually growing in sales.

For more information about the Reliv International business, visit www.reliv.com .