I can hardly believe the wonderful gift Arbonne has in store for me this holiday season. I’m still pinching myself! Almost four years ago, I was pregnant expecting twins while attending an NTC 2000 Toronto. During introductions, I noticed that five out of the 10 NVPs mentioned were mothers of twins. I jokingly said, “I guess that means I’ll be an NVP, someday.” Sadly, at that point in my life, I never really believed my own statement would ever come true. So you can imagine how thrilled I am to be living out my very own words.
My Arbonne story began 11 years ago in 1992. I must admit that for the first 10 years, I really did not see the big picture of everything that Arbonne had to offer. I was skeptical about finding success with Arbonne and believed the promises of unlimited income potential and financial freedom were too good to be true. I was not willing to do what it takes and refused to step outside my comfort zone. My sales rarely extended beyond family members and friends. And I surrendered to my fears of public speaking and of approaching anyone to ask for hosts for my Presentations or even share the products. As a result, I let my excuses keep me from establishing any type of business growth or momentum. My excuses were … I’m not a salesperson or I don’t want to be pushy. I can’t schedule a Presentation because I don’t want to speak in front of people … In spite of myself, I became a District Manager in 1999, six months after the birth of my first child, Cade, and remained a DM through the birth of my twin boys, Jase and Evan. By April of 2002, I was on the verge of losing even that achievement because I had worked very little over the past two years.
Several things happened that made me realize it was time to get back to work. First, while I was struggling to figure out how I could juggle an Arbonne business while raising my little boys, all under the age of 4, or whether I should even bother to continue with my business at all, a friend called to tell me she wanted to join my team. Her call was the answer to my prayers. Then I discovered that another person on my team, Vicky White, was about to promote to Area Manager. This added further inspiration to my hope of reviving my business. Around the same time, while attending RVP Rachel Sinclair’s car presentation, I had an eye-opening revelation. I realized that to achieve Region, it could take as little as one AM and eight DMs, plus a few Consultants who purchase product at a discount. Since I was already in the process of celebrating a new AM, that meant I was only eight DMs away from having my own car presentation. Placed in those terms, success seemed within my reach. It was real and believable. I could actually visualize myself finding and teaching eight people to do the business. From that moment on, I knew I, too, could become an RVP.
Filled with renewed excitement and enthusiasm, I knew that if I was ever going to do this, this was the time. I was also aware that I had to work smarter and more consistently this time around. In June 2002, I made a commitment to treat my Arbonne undertaking as a business and follow in the footsteps of the women driving the white Mercedes-Benz.
I put all the excuses aside and turned the mistakes of the past into lessons geared toward future success. I did everything that ENVP Cecilia Stoll coached me to do, like listening to business building tapes and conference calls, reading self-development books, holding a minimum of six group presentations a month and regularly attending meetings. I opened myself up to the possibility of personal growth and development, changing what I needed to change and sticking with what worked, until I was sure that I was on the right path to success. When this became evident, I began to teach others to do the same.
Finally in January 2003, upon returning from Rita’s Area Manager Challenge, I witnessed the fruits of my labor kick in with business momentum. Within five months, in May 2003, we reached Region followed by Nation seven short months later in December. It still amazes me how fast our team has grown and continues to grow. I attribute my team’s rapid growth, not just to hard work alone, but because I had faith. My business has been blessed with many wonderful women who have proven time and again that God is ever present in our business as well as our lives. For whenever we cannot explain why something wonderful has happened, we simply say that “it’s a God thing.”
When I restarted my business, I was not sure what my reasons were for going forward. I just knew I didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity. Along the way, I discovered my higher purpose. We are all meant to do something big with our lives. Arbonne is the vehicle that steered me toward that purpose. Now every day of my life is filled with helping others improve their health and enhance their lives – helping them be the best they can be – whether it is through providing excellent skin care, nutrition or cosmetic products or sharing the potential to have lucrative business opportunity. I always get a kick out of hearing someone say to me, “I want to do what you do!” My automatic response to them is, “I want you to do it too!” Finding fulfillment and success by helping others find their own is such a wonderful concept. I truly feel that I have made a difference!
My boys have a video about a caterpillar. He is a character who feels ordinary. He tries again and again to be more like other animals because he feels he’s not special. The ladybug has spots; the ant is strong; the snail has a built-in home. Every night, He asks God why he isn’t special like these other animals. Every night, God says, “Be patient, I’m not finished with you yet!” Then, finally, one morning he awakes to find that he has transformed into a beautiful butterfly. Like the caterpillar, for a long time I felt quite ordinary. Because I am normally very quiet and reserved, I’ve always blended into a crowd. There’s nothing special about me that made me stand out from others. I wasn’t a leader in the traditional sense of what I pictured leaders to be. Leaders embrace the spotlight, draw attention to themselves and take control of situations. Because I had none of these qualities, I never believed that I would ever succeed in this business. I simply did not have what it takes to acquire success. Arbonne has proven me wrong.
Arbonne did not require any prerequisites. I had as equal an opportunity for success as anyone else with or without special qualities or unique talents. What Arbonne gave me was the chance to develop into a better person, a more confident person and a more positive person, instilling in me a belief in myself and my abilities. Through this personal growth, I realized that the only things that had kept me from finding immediate success and personal fulfillment a decade earlier were my own negative beliefs. Along the way, Arbonne helped me shatter those beliefs and rebuild a new self-image. With a positive outlook, the world of unlimited possibilities opened up for me. Thank you, Arbonne!
My team and I have shared a most wonderful journey together. I am so grateful to have an incredible group of leaders who are committed to reaching their dreams of success. They have proven to be coachable, driven and unstoppable. Some of these women were already beautiful butterflies when they came into my life. Those who were still caterpillars were ready, eager and willing to make their transformation. I am grateful to each and every one of you! To my RVPs – Ann Wandishin, Beth Sparks, Ann Cox and RVPs-in-qualification – Janet Roden and Lorraine Wade: I am so proud of each of you! Ann Wandishin: Wow! RVP in just eight months! Beth: You are an outstanding coach and leader to your team! New RVP Ann Cox: You amaze me! To Janet, my best friend from high school and soon-to-be RVP: I’m so glad you’re in Arbonne with me! Soon-to-be RVP Lorraine: You’re kind, giving and committed. You’ll go all the way!
To AMs Vicky White and Cinimin Paden: All of this is waiting for you! I believe in you! To the rest of my Area and District Managers: I want this for you! You each have what it takes to make it in this business if you just develop the belief, commitment and determination to make it happen. To our Consultants who purchase product at a discount: Thank you for your loyalty and love of the products!
To ENVP Cecilia Stoll: You have blessed so many people with your vision, commitment, inspiration and example! Thank you for all you do for us! I wouldn’t be here without you! ENVP Martha McIntyre: Thanks for your encouragement and wonderful attitude! ENVP Neta Irwin: You are beautiful inside and out! Thank you for building Arbonne in Oklahoma. Rita: We are so grateful for all you do but especially for the phone calls and words of encouragement. They mean so much! Petter: Thank you for making all of this possible! To everyone in the Home Office: Thanks for all you do, especially on the last day of the month!
Last but not least, to Lyndal: I love you and appreciate everything you do for us! You’re a wonderful husband and father. Thanks for always believing in me! To my handsome boys – Cade, Jase and Evan: I love you and want the very best for you! To Mama and Daddy: Thanks for your constant support and for keeping the boys while we travel with Arbonne!
God had a plan for me 11 years ago when I was introduced to Arbonne. Although I was impatient and didn’t see the opportunity right in front of me, He gave me the presence of mind to stick with it even when I struggled to find the reasons why I should. Even though God still isn’t finished with me yet, I’ve found the patience and courage to change from a caterpillar into a butterfly. My hope for every Arbonne Consultant is that they can make their transformation as seamless and easy as possible. There is so much out there waiting for the butterfly locked within each of you! Anything is possible!
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.
