“Your business will grow to the extent that you do.”
We recently crossed the finish line of a journey we began nine short months ago. Upon completion, we were handed a trophy … a prize of potential time and financial freedom. How did we earn this? By teaching family and friends how to get Arbonne’s wonderful pure, safe, beneficial products, and helping them teach their family and friends do the same.
Now that I have crossed the finish line, I realize my true journey has only just begun. While getting to NVP, I barely looked up. So often, my journey to the top seemed unattainable. I now take time to notice the world around me every day. We are given just one life. Thanks to Arbonne, for the first time in my life, my family and I have the time and potential finances to do what we want to do, when we want to do it.
I spent more years than I care to mention in corporate America, working at two major pharmaceutical companies, a mutual funds company and a local hospital. Eight years ago, I walked away with no regrets, and began doing childcare in my home for teacher’s children. I absolutely loved that job and the fact that I had weekends, holidays and summers off to spend with my own family. I was very satisfied with my life and not looking for another opportunity, nor did I feel I had the time to pursue one. Thanks to a good friend, AM Liz Gilles, she did not take my first two nos to attend Arbonne events personally, and called me a third time, making me feel obligated to attend! I attended my first Arbonne training with a feeling of obligation but left with a feeling of gratitude. If you are reading this Eye on Arbonne story, you may be able to relate. I now ask guests at my own trainings how many came because they felt obligated, and the hands go up. Then, I tell them that the person who invited them to the training thought highly enough of them to share this opportunity.
We hear how lucky we are to have an amazing opportunity offered to us once in our lifetime, and blessed if it happens twice. Arbonne can truly be that opportunity of a lifetime. Where else can you go to work every day with family and friends you love and care about, laugh, have fun, make a potentially great income and enjoy time freedom? I had never heard of such an opportunity. Quite frankly, I did not think it existed.
Like many of you, I grew up in an era where my mother did not work outside the home. I had always envisioned that same lifestyle for my own family. Russ and I often talked about me retiring one day to be home with our children. That day never came.
When I launched my Arbonne business on May 31, 2005, I had no idea how incredible this opportunity truly was. In the beginning, my goal was to build a network of consumers over the course of several years, have the potential to earn residual income and eventually, come home. “Short-term sacrifices mean long-term rewards,” is what I was told by my upline ENVPs, Yvette Walts, Stacy Shanks, Jennifer Simon and Cheryl Kemp. I heard ENVP Jennifer Simon say, “Keep your eye on the ball, not the scoreboard.”
Before I knew it, our team was off and running! We grew rather slowly during the first three months, but our momentum was nothing short of miraculous. We were a small group with a shared vision. That vision entailed a desire to have more time and financial freedom. Most of us were working moms who were determined to make it to Area Manager, so our businesses would be inheritable to our families. We had never heard of a company that would potentially continue to reward our families. Wow! We opened our calendars and went to work. We had Presentations scheduled every night. In July of 2005, ERVP Staci Holweger set the record with 21 Presentations scheduled that month!
By the third month, our team of leaders were exhausted. We were working our jobs 40 to 60 hours per week and working our Arbonne business seven days per week. We soon discovered that everyone loved our products, but no one wanted to join our business. None of our family or friends seemed to be losing sleep over their wrinkles and age spots; however, we often heard them speak of the financial pressures of life. It did not take us long to implement a new plan of action which we deemed, the sky’s the limit. We truly felt the sky was the limit in this business and were determined to share the business side of Arbonne. We implemented our approach in September of 2005 and our businesses began to boom. Our volume doubled every month, then tripled and finally, quadrupled!
The very best part of this journey has been experiencing my own personal growth and witnessing the personal growth of my teammates. I realized early in my business that I had lived my life within the safety net of my comfort zone. I now know that the only time you are truly growing or changing is when you are nervous or scared. That is not a feeling I had ever before embraced. Growing up, I had heard my mother say many times that whatever does not kill you will make you stronger. I had shared that same quote quite frequently with my own children. However, one of my biggest fears in life was public speaking. Why then, at my age, did I have such a difficult time embracing this saying and applying it to my own life?
ENVP Jennifer Simon always encouraged reading at least one new Eye on Arbonne story a day. As Jennifer put it, she was addicted to these stories. I began doing the same and became so inspired with each story! The common thread in each of these stories was the thankfulness these men and women had for the time freedom they were experiencing through their Arbonne businesses. I became more determined than ever that I, too, could potentially have time freedom for my family. The potential for financial freedom was simply icing on the cake. I also began reading every network marketing book I could get my hands on and listened to the Arbonne Learn & Burn™ training audios and motivational CDs from leaders in the industry. President Rita Davenport’s are still my favorite!
I have heard many say that Arbonne is about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I wanted to be one of those people who went through life making a difference and making life better for those around me. I had complete faith in this company, the products, the leaders and my upline. However, I found that I did not have that same faith deep within myself. It was not until I built my own foundation of unwavering self-belief that I was able to be a leader for my team. Once you are inspired, you discover you are a far greater person than you could have ever imagined. I truly believe we each have a right of passage in this business and on this journey. It is part of the reason each of our journeys take a different path, all leading to the same destination.
One evening, in the beginning of my business, I returned home from a Presentation to find a beautiful handwritten note from my 11-year-old daughter, Emily. On that note, Emily wrote, “Do not worry mom, you will get your people.” That evening, I cried as I read those words. I had not yet built my own self-confidence that this business could truly work for me. As I read those words now, I think how I almost gave up on myself and how my family nearly missed out on our opportunity of a lifetime, simply because I did not have self-belief. When I reflect on how my family’s life has changed in the course of nine months, I am so humbled and eternally grateful for this opportunity.
How many lives have you impacted this week, month and year? If you are growing an Arbonne business, chances are you have touched many lives already. If you are not involved with Arbonne yet, I urge you to embark on a life-altering, eye-opening journey. Start peeling back those layers. You may be pleasantly surprised to find a new and better you underneath. Unlock your greatness within!
To my husband and life partner, RVP-in-qualification Russ Howard: Thank you for believing in me and taking this journey by my side. This summer, we will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. As a family, we will be celebrating the reality of a dream come true with our two children, Kevin and Emily.
To our children, Kevin and Emily Howard: Thank you for your unwavering belief in my ability to do this business. You expected nothing short of greatness for our family and me, with Arbonne.
To my parents, William and Dolores Norman: Thank you for raising me with a strong work ethic and the impeccable values of honesty and integrity. Those are foremost in my business every day.
To my sister, Joan: Thank you for your constant words of encouragement, being one of my top Clients, and loving the products as much as I do!
To ERVP Jane Strassel, RVP Diane Matt, ERVP Staci Holweger, RVP Brent Holweger, RVP Brandi Neighbors, RVP Heather Hill, NVP Kerry Martin and her VP team composed of ERVP Erika Kiefer, ERVP Shawna Davenport, ERVP Wendy Gries, ERVP Jill Ackerman-Wilcox and RVP Joely Smith: Congratulations to each of you! Quitters never win and you have proven that. There is just one more step on your journey and you are nearly there!
To my AMs, Russ Howard, Diane Norman, Jennifer Wilhite, Jennifer Titzer, Greg Matt, Ryan Matt, Bob Seibert, Kim Gilles, Michelle Corne, Nickie Conder, Sharon Lee, Shelley Dammann, Holly Sparks, Michelle Neighbors, Holly Matheny, Shannon Dauby, Beth Renschler, Heather Bullington, Brenda Bennett and Nancy Rivers: Thank you for working your businesses so diligently! How amazing is the growth you have each experienced in the past few months?
To my DMs: Getting to Nation is the same as getting to DM. Continue duplicating what you have done thus far. I am so proud of each of you!
To my upline ENVPs, Yvette Walts, Stacy Shanks, Jennifer Simon and Cheryl Kemp: Thank you for believing in me when I did not have that same belief. Your leadership has paved the way for so many in your SuccessLines!
To the Home Office staff: Thank you for the support you give each of us on a daily basis as we grow our teams!
To President Rita Davenport, Chairman & CEO Bob Henry, Sr. VP Product Development and Field Events, Candace Keefe and the entire Executive Team: You continue to set the tone for quality and integrity within the Arbonne organization. Thank you!
The testimonials on this Web site reflect the actual experience of each individual, are anecdotal only, and may be atypical. The testimonials are not based upon any clinical study.
