Have you ever literally counted the dollars as you loaded
your shopping cart at the grocery store? Factoring in every coupon before
heading to the checkout? Or, carefully watched the gas pump tick, tick,
tick, as it pumped the fuel into your car because as it got closer to the
$10.00 mark you knew you had to get it to stop, spot on? Have you ever
borrowed from the electric bill because the water bill was due a week
sooner? I am confident that most Americans can relate to this at some
point in their life. Honestly, I cringe just thinking about it. The stress can
feel unbearable. Sigh. This was most certainly how my husband and I operated
as we scrambled paycheck to paycheck. We would take this J.O.B. (Just Over
Broke) because it paid a little more than the last one. We did that because we
were taking care of our family and it's all we knew to do. In actuality, we
were living our lives reactively rather than proactively. But we don't know
what we don't know, right?
Thirteen years ago I discovered the concept of Direct
Sales/Network Marketing. Wow, could that really work for me? I met this young
woman who stayed at home with her kids and she made a "real" income!
Could "I" actually be a stay at home Mom like her and run my own
business too? I had never imagined ME as a business owner! But what if...
Well, something inside me said YES so I followed my gut and started a
home based business. My goal was to replace the modest but significant income I
was earning. That was about $2,000 a month. I figured if I could even come
close to that, by the time I subtracted what I had been paying out for child
care, gas to and from work, work clothes, lunches and coffees, this could allow
me to be home with my three girls and maybe even come out ahead! I
thought, if I could do this, my kids would have MORE than I did growing up. A
Mom at home! So I continued working my full time job and I hosted parties as
many evenings and weekends as I could. I did a lot of parties then. My products
were high end, and many people would host a party to earn them free or at a
discount. Did I sacrifice time with my family doing this? Yes. Call it a
short-term sacrifice for the long term! It was really three months of making an
investment in our family’s future! I'm so grateful for that opportunity. It
opened my mind to a new concept of making a living. I replaced that income and
was able to raise my kids while earning that income through that business
opportunity!
Fast forward nine years, late 2012. The kids had grown, two
were out on their own, and the economy had gone through significant change.
What I mean by that is people were cutting back on extras. My product was no
longer a viable way to earn income. People just weren't buying pretty and
pricey things for their homes like they once were. And without that, my hosts
couldn't earn their discounted products. So, the income that had sustained me
for so long dwindled to near nothing. It was such a sad time. The stress had
returned, and the financial struggle was back. Our two-income family was
basically, back to one. Gosh, I bet you may even know someone who has gone
through something similar with a job loss or even a not so great experience in
direct sales. But I always say when opportunity knocks open the door! It
knocked, and I opened. I could now take those nine years of experience and
apply that into a new business opportunity with personal products that people
REALLY wanted! The products were affordable, fun and I didn't have to hold
parties in order for people to receive deep discounts! I know, it sounds too
good! Here's the deal. When that life change happened, it literally allowed me
to learn even more than what I thought I knew. More about business, more about
people, more about working smarter, not harder. I started earning again. My
confidence began to grow and I learned to start dreaming again! Dreaming bigger
than I ever had! See, I know that my first network marketing experience had a
more significant purpose than just replacing my J.O.B. It was on the job
training, for life and business. For the last three years I've been able to
help other people literally transform their lives with creating greater health,
self confidence, and for those who choose to, their finances. I've learned that
with the right experience, the right attitude and a simple plan all dreams are
possible. What are your
dreams?
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