“The sky’s the limit when your heart is in it. So lead with your heart and act with a purpose.”
I have had the opportunity to excel professionally without sacrificing the rewards of staying home to raise my family. My husband, Steve and I are blessed with three children: Connor James, 9, Sean Austin, 7 and Alexis Marie, 4. Life as a very busy wife and mother can be exciting enough, so I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to build a successful business as well. My children have been a big part of how I design my workday. With an Arbonne business, I have the freedom to drop everything when they need me and the flexibility to choose the hours I work to fit around my family priorities. It is the very best of two worlds.
I am absolutely thrilled to start 2004 as one of Arbonne’s newest National Vice Presidents. It has always been my goal to reach this level of accomplishment in my Arbonne business, but I had no idea when I started that true success would lie in the journey rather than the destination.
When I signed up to be a Consultant, my professional background was in corporate sales and marketing. I also owned my own retail business for several years. I loved the entrepreneurship, but grew weary of the hassling details of a small business. So I moved on. I had just started working with a well-known U.S. manufacturing firm as a sales manager when I realized that this position just was not going to work for me. For one thing, I wanted to start a family and did not like the idea of someone else having the privilege of raising our children. I had to make a change!
At the time, my income added to a comfortable lifestyle and both my husband and I were uneasy about what this change would affect. Nevertheless, I ran across an ad that my sponsor had placed and I called her. As we talked, I decided this was not what I had in mind; but, her passion about what she did intrigued me so I agreed to meet. Then, I missed our appointment — on purpose! I justified my action by concluding that it would be a waste of both our time since surely I would not be interested in what she had to offer.
How lucky for me that she called again to reschedule! As I hung up the phone, I thought to myself, “Why am I doing this?” The day we met in my dining room stands out in my mind as one of the most important days in my professional life. What a surprise I was in for! Before she finished her presentation, I had fallen in love with the products and could not believe the incredible business plan this company offered. She hadn’t even finished when I asked her how I could get started immediately and asked if my Starter kit could be sent overnight. By the time she was ready to leave, I realized it was she who had done me the favor by rescheduling our meeting. Thank you Deana, I will always appreciate you for that little bit of persistence.
At first, I did not have much support from my family and friends. Most of them thought I had lost my mind for leaving a “great job” to do this. Although I was confident about my decision to start an Arbonne business, and I loved the products, I still felt uncomfortable with the idea of network marketing. Then as an Area Manager, I was fortunate to have heard Randy Gage speak at our National Training Conference (then — MTS) in Scottsdale. He opened up my eyes to the awesome possibilities our industry offers. Four months later, I was in qualification for Regional Vice President.
To anyone who does not fully understand what a difference you can make in other peoples’ lives through Arbonne, I urge you to begin educating yourself now! With a complete grasp of the power of network marketing, I was better able to share my wonderful business with others. Now, I am so proud of our industry. Network marketing is the heart of free enterprise. It is the basis of what makes Arbonne the greatest company to be a part of. Where else can you receive rewards that are equal to your efforts? I can’t sit still thinking of the possibilities! What is even more exciting about Arbonne is the concept of reaching out to others. If you have ever had the desire to help others, this business is for you. It has given me such a sense of purpose to be a part of this amazing mission. I am an integral part of a team whose common vision is to strive for excellence and lift individuals toward their full potential.
Becoming a Nation was definitely a team effort. I am so fortunate to have a dynamic group of leaders working with me. Together we have gained strength, and I am so proud of each and every one of them for their own accomplishments. To my Managers: Thank you for your commitment to reach for the stars! To everyone in my Nation: Believe and you will succeed! I appreciate you and thank you all for being a part of our team.
Special thanks goes out to my upline NVPs, Deana Wilkinson and Phoebe James, for all their coaching and leadership. To Bonnie Erickson: Thank you for your friendship and support. From the three of you, I gained the confidence I needed to become a National Vice President. I am so grateful as well for the support we get from the entire Home Office. You are truly the speed of our motion. Thank you, all. At the helm of our awesome company is Petter, Rita, Stian and Candee. You are all, well, simply awesome! Your support, motivation and confidence in me lifted me to new heights along the journey.
Most importantly, I am grateful to my husband and best friend, Steve, for supporting me all the way. You always believed in me and you gave me the strength I needed. You were incredible in helping me keep my focus on enjoying every step of my journey. To my children: Thanks for creating my passion to make this business work. And, to my mom: Thanks for instilling in me that with God, all things are possible! Your faith is a legacy I shall pass on to my children.
Success with Arbonne is about accepting challenges, overcoming obstacles and achieving goals. It is based on desire and commitment, not financial or educational status. As I look back at the time I have spent growing my Arbonne business, my thoughts are engulfed with the wealth of experience and opportunity that opened up for me from the day I signed up. I have learned so much about myself and how I can make a positive impact on other people’s lives. I have made some wonderful friends and my life is richer because of each and every person I have encountered through my business.
It is truly the journey that has been my success and I am looking forward to more experiences as a new NVP. If you are a new Consultant or thinking of becoming one, I would like to leave you with one thought: With Arbonne, the sky’s the limit when your heart is in it!
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.
