“Remove your option ‘to quit’ and adopt a no-matter-what attitude.”
As children, we dream big. We find excitement in the countless possibilities that life has to offer. As we grow older, we allow the excitement and dreams to slowly fade away, learning to accept things for the way they are, instead of the way we would like them to be. I am so thankful that Arbonne was brought into my life because it has reminded me that all things are possible. Arbonne has revived my ability to dream big again, as I did when I was a child.
In high school, I thought that I wanted to attend medical school. When I started my college career, I began to realize that I did not want to endure the long hours of studying that were required to get into medical school. After I graduated from college, I decided to end my educational career because I was ready to embrace the life experiences of being a responsible adult, living on my own and taking care of myself. Before long, I realized that this was not as exciting as I had once thought. Adult life was draining; from the 5 a.m. wake-up call each morning, the dressing up and fighting traffic, to the reality of working for someone else on their schedule and having limited access to vacation time. These things started to wear on me. I was also unsatisfied with what I was doing and felt as though I was not living up to my full potential. The whole reason I wanted to go to medical school was to help others and when I made the decision not to go, I assumed that I could help others through another avenue.
Well, with my first career choice and the six others that followed, I was helping others, but not in a capacity that was truly making a difference. I was not fulfilled with any of the positions I held, so I kept hopping from one to the next. Every time I started a new job, I thought, this is the perfect one for me. But, like all the others, it never turned out that way. I felt like I was looking for something that did not exist. What position actually existed that would allow me to make a difference, enable me to work for myself and help me to provide for my family?
I had nearly given up hope of finding my perfect job, when our good friend, ENVP Ann Wandishin, introduced Arbonne to my family. My mother and sister had attended a Presentation that Ann was hosting. It was my mother who saw the vision for my sister and me. She told my sister, Jennifer, that she should really consider working Arbonne as a business. Then, they both spoke to me about it. I told them, “No, I do not do these things.”
I grew up with a skepticism concerning network marketing. My mother, who instilled in me a belief about network marketing, asked me to at least consider the opportunity because she believed that this company was different. I was very hesitant, but also intrigued that the woman who spoke poorly of network marketing my entire life was now asking me to look at it. It was also an eye-opening experience to know that our friend, Ann, was about to receive her white Mercedes-Benz through the Mercedes-Benz Cash Bonus Program, earn a trip to the Bahamas and had the potential to make twice what I was making in my corporate job, all while working from home, for herself, at her own pace. Needless to say, I started researching Arbonne and the network marketing industry to get a better grasp of what it was all about.
My husband and I only found positive remarks about Arbonne. At first, Arbonne’s opportunity sounded too good to be true; but the more I learned, the more I realized how great an opportunity it was. I think the reason that so many others and I thought that it sounded too good to be true is because it is so simple. How can it be so simple and yet offer so many layers of rewards at the same time? Well, the concept and the system for reaching success is simple. But the actual process of building a team and establishing a business is not easy. It requires real work, a real commitment, a no-matter-what attitude, an unshakable determination to step out of your comfort zone and do things you would not otherwise do, the courage to move past objections and rejections, as well as an ability to make short-term sacrifices. As for myself and many others, we gain the ability to do these things as we move along on our journey; they are not all there when we start. I can honestly say that I am not the same person I was when I started this business.
In August 2003, I started my Arbonne business while continuing to work in corporate America. I had a let’s-see-what-happens attitude in the beginning. Although I dreamed of being an NVP, I was not sure if I could make it because I had some issues. For one thing, I was scared and shy in front of groups and around people I was just meeting for the first time. I also felt as though I had not finished anything of significance that I had started in the past. So, how could I expect this to work? Despite this attitude, I began sharing the opportunity with my close friends and hosting Presentations. Most of my friends thought I was crazy and some of them were downright rude; but I chose to ignore them and keep going, with that mantra echoing in my brain, “The only way to fail is to quit.” My mindset became, “I will show you.” Within two months, I became a DM and then moved on to AM four months later. Along the way, I learned some valuable lessons.
I learned I had to step out of my comfort zone and just do the things I did not want to do. There was no way of getting around it. However, the joy and results that come from your short-term discomfort are so worth it. I also learned I had to follow my upline’s system, which consisted of three parts. The first entailed consistently sharing both the Arbonne products and opportunity with a certain number of people each month. The second part involved working on my own personal development. And the last part was to commit to attending every Arbonne function, training or conference call. Finally, I learned that most people will not follow someone who is not sure where they are going. I had to make a whole-hearted decision that I was going to do this and never quit, no matter what outcome my activity brought, how much I questioned what I was doing, how long it took or what the short-term sacrifices were. All of these lessons helped me create a blueprint to success. You have to know where you are going in order to figure out how to get there.
There were days when I doubted, but when I noticed the doubt creeping in, I reminded myself to focus on what I could control. The first thing I would do is read and that allowed me to start thinking positively again, which created the activity. The more activity I was in, the less I worried about the outcome. I want everyone to understand that our job as a Consultant is to plant the seeds and then let them grow. It may take different seeds and different amounts of time to grow, but given time and nurturing, they will.
After completing Area, I set my sights on RVP, but did not move as quickly as I desired and did not know why. In August 2004, I attended our Area Manager’s retreat and it was there that I realized why I was stuck. The reason was that I felt like I did not deserve this. I still did not believe in myself. However, that weekend, I realized that this was not about me. I came to understand there was a deeper purpose for sharing Arbonne, which is to give others this gift. The Arbonne opportunity is a way to make a difference in people’s lives for the better. I knew then that I could not fail at this mission. When you believe, you perform the activity necessary to accomplish your goal and you do not worry about the outcome. (In order to believe you have to read, listen and attend everything!) Four months after the retreat, our team completed qualification for Region. The mark of true teamwork came together while we were working toward completing qualification for Nation the following year. Building friendships, truly caring about the other person and sharing with them how much you believe in them builds a team.
What a perfect job this is to have, if you can call it a job. There is no greater feeling than helping others to see their full potential. With the gift of Arbonne, we have the opportunity to transform people’s lives for the better and celebrate that accomplishment with others looking to do the same. Thanks to Arbonne, I am finally on a purpose-filled journey and loving every minute of it. I would like to thank everyone who helped me get where I am on this journey.
To Ann: Thank you for sharing Arbonne with my family and starting us on a new journey. Thank you also for all of your love, belief, support and encouragement. You are a true example of a servant leader. Your excitement, passion and giving spirit inspire me to be, give and do more.
To my sister and sponsor, ERVP Jennifer Smith and the VPs on my team, including my mom, RVP Melba Pearson, ERVP Robin Corbin, RVP Angel Perez and RVP Ari Carlson: I love you and am blessed to be able to call you my friends. You all are amazing women and incredible leaders. I am so honored that we get to work together. You will be NVPs before you know it! Thank you for all that you do. You are gifts to me.
To my AMs, DMs and Consultants: Thank you for everything you do. You all are amazing gifts to me. I am so proud of you. You are on your way to becoming RVPs and I cannot wait to see you at the top!
To the Home Office staff and the Executive Team: Your devotion to Arbonne is inspiring and your commitment to providing the best for your Consultants is incredible.
To my husband, Jason: Thank you for everything. You lift me up when I need encouragement, you believe in me, you help me focus on the big picture, and you sacrifice your time and help so much around the house. I could not ask for anything more. You are the best husband and I thank God for bringing us together. I love you!
Above all, I want to thank God for the many blessings in my life.
To those who still have a let’s-see-what-happens attitude about Arbonne: Reach for your dreams and stay the course. Do not let yourself or others spoil your journey to the life you have always dreamed about. Know that anything is possible as long as you do not quit.
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.
