Part of my inspiration for Birth of a Salesman came from the 1949 play 'Death of a Salesman' by American playwright Arthur Miller. His play premiered on Broadway, ran for 742 performances and won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Since then it's been revived many times and is regarded to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.

In the play the main character, Willy Loman, is a 63 year old burnt out salesman with no future - the antithesis of my enthusiastic self when I was starting my selling career.

Unlike Birth of a Salesman, Miller's play is dark and brutal but also a valuable lesson in life. Sales people who don't progress do burn out and sometimes destroy themselves. But, before that happens, a life of selling can be great fun. Mine certainly was and that's why I wrote about it.

"But what is direct selling?" I hear you ask. Here's a definition.

Selling face to face comprises of two main business models: single-level marketing, in which a direct seller makes money by buying products from a parent organisation and selling them directly to customers, and multi-level marketing (network marketing or person-to-person marketing), in which the direct seller may earn money from both direct sales to customers and by sponsoring and supporting new direct sellers, potentially earning a commission from their efforts.

The Federal Trade Commission say, "Direct selling includes a variety of business strategies based on person-to-person selling in locations other than a retail establishment, such as social media platforms or the home of the salesperson or prospective customer."

According to the Direct Selling Association UK (DSA UK) In the UK, there are more than 400,000 people involved in direct selling. It is the association says, "A vibrant, growing industry offering a flexible earning opportunity to all, whatever age, culture, gender or ability."

And it gets better. A World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA) report quotes a worldwide figure of more than 116 million people in direct selling.

These days direct selling includes sales through the party plan, one-to-one demonstrations, personal contacts plus internet sales. It has also been said that selling is, "The personal presentation, demonstration, and sale of products and services to consumers, either in their homes or at their jobs."