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When Avon decided to revamp learning for its global network of over a million self-employed reps, they didn’t take the slow and steady route. Instead, they implemented a new platform across 32 markets in just eight weeks.
Yes, eight.
That alone is impressive. But what makes this story especially worth telling is what happened next: high rep engagement, seamless integration, and a data-led strategy that links learning to actual sales uplift.
Off the back of Thrive’s recent webinar wherein Josh Devanny was joined by Tammy Connor (Global Digital Tools Training Manager, Avon) and and Nicholas Winfield (Global Sales Training Content Manager, Avon), we're rounding up the main takeaways from the session.
Here’s what L&D professionals can learn from Avon’s turbocharged implementation, and what it takes to engage a diverse, global, and non-traditional workforce.
Unlike many organisations rolling out a learning platform, Avon’s users aren’t traditional full-time employees; instead, they’re self-employed. Some treat their Avon business as a full-time job, others do it as a side hustle, and some are simply product superfans.
That mix means training can’t be mandated. It has to be magnetic.
“Reps are not obligated to complete training, so we had to build something they'd actually want to use,” says Tammy Connor, global digital tools training manager at Avon. “They need quick, mobile-first content that helps them succeed in their business — and they need to access it without friction.”
Rolling out a new platform across 32 countries sounds like a two-year roadmap. Avon did it in eight weeks.
The secret? Ruthless project management, a staggered launch strategy, and an ironclad implementation plan.
“We had a clear timeline, we worked market-by-market, and we brought in pilot groups for user testing,” says Tammy. “Single sign-on had to be tested in every region. We had to ensure everything was tagged correctly, translated, and ready to go — all while migrating thousands of pieces of content and historical data.”
Nick Winfield, who oversees training content and strategy, adds: “There was no blackout period. Reps had access to what they needed throughout the process. That was non-negotiable.”
One of Avon’s biggest lessons from the rollout? Don’t bring everything over unless you’ve cleaned house.
“If we could do it again, we’d spend more time cleaning up users and content before migration,” Tammy says. “We didn’t have that luxury — so we brought everything across. But if you’ve got the time, use it.”
Avon’s advice is to treat a platform switch as an opportunity to declutter. Junk content doesn’t just take up space; it slows users down and therefore hurts engagement levels.
Avon’s reps are mobile-first and social-media-native, so the new learning platform had to reflect that.
Everything was optimised for mobile, with bite-sized content, intuitive navigation, and a clean, simplified structure. The homepage changes monthly to reflect product campaigns, and reps get relevant toolkits, videos, and guides with just one tap.
Social features like comments, reactions, and broadcasts mirror the experience reps already have in their Facebook groups, creating familiarity without adding friction.
And Avon has ensured that learning is a natural part of their reps’ daily workflow. The learning platform can be accessed through the same app they use to run their Avon business – so they won’t miss a beat.
To encourage adoption, Avon treated their launch like a marketing campaign. Every market received a full “engagement toolkit” with translated assets, how-to guides, and user videos.
The team also leaned on internal comms and product marketing tactics — embedding learning into monthly launches, pushing notifications for new campaigns, and using content pathways to structure rep journeys.
But one of the most effective tactics? Highlighting success.
“We’ve integrated learning data with sales data,” Nick explains. “We can now show that reps who engage with learning earn more. That’s powerful motivation. It proves that investing time in learning pays off.”
While traditional learning metrics like logins and completions still have their place, Avon went even further.
By building Tableau dashboards that combine platform engagement with sales performance, they’ve created a direct link between learning and commercial outcomes.
“Now we can say: reps who complete this pathway sell more. They earn more. That’s the kind of data that gets leadership buy-in and drives ongoing engagement,” Nick says.
One year post-launch, Avon is just getting started. They’re rolling out custom digital badges to gamify progress, exploring AI assistants to guide reps to relevant content, and working on a company-wide translation strategy to simplify localisation.
They’re also eyeing features like skill tagging and enhanced communication tools to make the platform even more dynamic and rep-focused.
“We want it to feel like a one-stop shop,” Tammy says. “A place where reps can get what they need, when they need it — whether it’s training, product info, or just a quick refresher.”
Avon’s advice to other L&D teams?
And if you're wondering whether it’s possible to roll out a platform in eight weeks?
“It is,” says Tammy. “But give yourself more time if you can. And if you can’t, partner with someone who gets it.”
If you're looking to partner with a learning platform provider who gets it, book a Thrive demo today.
Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.
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When Avon decided to revamp learning for its global network of over a million self-employed reps, they didn’t take the slow and steady route. Instead, they implemented a new platform across 32 markets in just eight weeks.
Yes, eight.
That alone is impressive. But what makes this story especially worth telling is what happened next: high rep engagement, seamless integration, and a data-led strategy that links learning to actual sales uplift.
Off the back of Thrive’s recent webinar wherein Josh Devanny was joined by Tammy Connor (Global Digital Tools Training Manager, Avon) and and Nicholas Winfield (Global Sales Training Content Manager, Avon), we're rounding up the main takeaways from the session.
Here’s what L&D professionals can learn from Avon’s turbocharged implementation, and what it takes to engage a diverse, global, and non-traditional workforce.
Unlike many organisations rolling out a learning platform, Avon’s users aren’t traditional full-time employees; instead, they’re self-employed. Some treat their Avon business as a full-time job, others do it as a side hustle, and some are simply product superfans.
That mix means training can’t be mandated. It has to be magnetic.
“Reps are not obligated to complete training, so we had to build something they'd actually want to use,” says Tammy Connor, global digital tools training manager at Avon. “They need quick, mobile-first content that helps them succeed in their business — and they need to access it without friction.”
Rolling out a new platform across 32 countries sounds like a two-year roadmap. Avon did it in eight weeks.
The secret? Ruthless project management, a staggered launch strategy, and an ironclad implementation plan.
“We had a clear timeline, we worked market-by-market, and we brought in pilot groups for user testing,” says Tammy. “Single sign-on had to be tested in every region. We had to ensure everything was tagged correctly, translated, and ready to go — all while migrating thousands of pieces of content and historical data.”
Nick Winfield, who oversees training content and strategy, adds: “There was no blackout period. Reps had access to what they needed throughout the process. That was non-negotiable.”
One of Avon’s biggest lessons from the rollout? Don’t bring everything over unless you’ve cleaned house.
“If we could do it again, we’d spend more time cleaning up users and content before migration,” Tammy says. “We didn’t have that luxury — so we brought everything across. But if you’ve got the time, use it.”
Avon’s advice is to treat a platform switch as an opportunity to declutter. Junk content doesn’t just take up space; it slows users down and therefore hurts engagement levels.
Avon’s reps are mobile-first and social-media-native, so the new learning platform had to reflect that.
Everything was optimised for mobile, with bite-sized content, intuitive navigation, and a clean, simplified structure. The homepage changes monthly to reflect product campaigns, and reps get relevant toolkits, videos, and guides with just one tap.
Social features like comments, reactions, and broadcasts mirror the experience reps already have in their Facebook groups, creating familiarity without adding friction.
And Avon has ensured that learning is a natural part of their reps’ daily workflow. The learning platform can be accessed through the same app they use to run their Avon business – so they won’t miss a beat.
To encourage adoption, Avon treated their launch like a marketing campaign. Every market received a full “engagement toolkit” with translated assets, how-to guides, and user videos.
The team also leaned on internal comms and product marketing tactics — embedding learning into monthly launches, pushing notifications for new campaigns, and using content pathways to structure rep journeys.
But one of the most effective tactics? Highlighting success.
“We’ve integrated learning data with sales data,” Nick explains. “We can now show that reps who engage with learning earn more. That’s powerful motivation. It proves that investing time in learning pays off.”
While traditional learning metrics like logins and completions still have their place, Avon went even further.
By building Tableau dashboards that combine platform engagement with sales performance, they’ve created a direct link between learning and commercial outcomes.
“Now we can say: reps who complete this pathway sell more. They earn more. That’s the kind of data that gets leadership buy-in and drives ongoing engagement,” Nick says.
One year post-launch, Avon is just getting started. They’re rolling out custom digital badges to gamify progress, exploring AI assistants to guide reps to relevant content, and working on a company-wide translation strategy to simplify localisation.
They’re also eyeing features like skill tagging and enhanced communication tools to make the platform even more dynamic and rep-focused.
“We want it to feel like a one-stop shop,” Tammy says. “A place where reps can get what they need, when they need it — whether it’s training, product info, or just a quick refresher.”
Avon’s advice to other L&D teams?
And if you're wondering whether it’s possible to roll out a platform in eight weeks?
“It is,” says Tammy. “But give yourself more time if you can. And if you can’t, partner with someone who gets it.”
If you're looking to partner with a learning platform provider who gets it, book a Thrive demo today.
Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.
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