Alan Kennedy, a longtime executive in the industry who worked at Avon in the 1970s and 1980s, said: "The fundamental challenge in direct selling is getting people to sell your stuff, not so much getting people to buy your stuff." This idea suggests that Avon should have remained fully committed to its grassroots beginnings and maintained the direct door-to-door model that lifted the company to prominence. Rick Goings, CEO of direct-seller Tupperware Brands, worked for Avon from 1985 to 1992 and stated, "effective direct-selling companies are 25 percent about the brand and 75 percent about the sale channel."