A 10 Year Journey Of Faith

February 7th, 2011 was the first time I talked to Hope Shortt.  I had stalked her –  followed her on Facebook, read about her, and was inspired by her faith.  I knew what an amazing person she was BEFORE I had this conversation.  I told her I wanted to join her Thirty One team.

She asked me “what my why” was?  For those in direct sales, we always want to know from new team members, “What is YOUR why?”, right?   I was nervous.  Why?  Because I honestly had no clue.  But in my true people pleasing style, I told her I wanted to earn some extra money.  No big dreams. I mean I was a Chief Operating Officer of a non-profit, who had time for anything.  I wanted to share the products at vendor shows, had NO desire to do home parties and really was not interested in having a team.  The truth was, I didn’t believe I was leadership material.  Yes, you can laugh…I could run a non-profit, manage grants, write grants and manage a staff of 18 programs BUT I never saw myself as a leader.

Thirty One helped with the “recruiting” aspect since this was just one day prior to the FREEZE.  WOW, what a relief.  Vendor shows was something I loved to do since I had been doing craft/ vendor shows for over 20 years.  It was a great place to meet people AND share a product.  Hope listened and said she would be there to help when I needed her.  No pressure just support and kindness.

Over the next few months I shared Thirty One at vendor events – selling but still NOT booking parties.  I mean I had a full-time CRAZY busy job, who had time for home parties.  Then came the first TWO potential recruits.  OMG!!!  I was honest with both of them from the start.  I wasn’t into doing home parties and I was going to learn along with them.  Believe it or not, they still joined as soon as the freeze lifted and quickly qualified.  I was a Senior Consultant by default.  Then came a home office lead who wanted a HOME PARTY!  Panic set in… it was someone I didn’t know and I was clueless.  I had never done a home party.  I could do this… and I DID!  Of course, it would not have been possible if it weren’t for Hope and the rest of the Beacon of Hope team.

My FIRST National Conference in 2012 had me setting a goal and deciding I wanted to be in Leadership. I had left my full-time job due to health issues but I wasn’t going to let it stop me.  I set a goal to be Director BEFORE National Conference 2013.  The stats say those who go to national conference earn more – TRUE!  Those who go to national conference – PROMOTE – TRUE!  In October, 2012 I was DIQ and in January 2013, I was blessed to earn my $1,000 Director Bonus.  It was a whirlwind time filled with lots of emotions.

National Conference 2013, I was blessed to be joined by my daughter and members of the Rays of Hope Team as I walked across stage being acknowledged as a NEW Thirty One Director.  Tears of joy flowed freely all weekend.  I walked across stage and was hugged by Hope Shortt, my National Executive Director.

The next few years brought many changes – dealing with testing and diagnosis of MS, worrying if I was really able to lead a team, fear, lots of comparison game playing and more tears.  I even wondered at times if I could continue since I couldn’t remember the names of prints and products.  I’m grateful for an amazing group of customers who understood and have stood by me all of these years…

National Conference 2018 would be my last road trip to a Thirty One event with my momma by my side.  The travel, the overwhelming feeling of not being able to understand everything and the struggle to remember things would get to be too much.  The theme of “Make Every Moment Count” would stay with me for a long time.

Fast forward to 2020 when I seriously considered leaving my pink bubble.  I was overwhelmed, the joy had left and I couldn’t seem to find my passion.  I turned things over to God and decided with hubby’s help, I would follow whatever path he thought I should take.  It took a few months BUT I found joy in my pink bubble again.  I focused on my business, praying the things I did would help my team.  I stepped out of my comfort zone to do virtual parties which included a LIVE portion with BINGO.  No matter how many times I thought “this is my last month”; God had another plan and my team and I made the numbers I needed to remain a Director.

I still struggle with my “why” and learning to DREAM BIG.  Home parties are no longer possible due to health issues.  Vendor events have been gone for awhile with the new social distancing rules.  I step out of my comfort zone to do things I wouldn’t have done before – asking for virtual socials (aka parties), offering the opportunity and embracing the things I love about my pink bubble.

One of the biggest blessings from Thirty One has been regaining my confidence which I lost so many years ago.  The other is gaining a sisterhood of women who celebrate, encourage and even cry with me.  Yes, I have earned FREE products! Yes, I have earned a FREE trip.  Yes, I was able to pay off credit card debt & travel as a result of my commission checks!  Yes, I have found a sisterhood I didn’t know existed in my Thirty One sisters!  Yes, I have grown in my walk with God, learning to trust and believe his will will be done in my business!  These are all the things Thirty One has blessed me with…. Who would have thought a pink box filled with product could CHANGE MY LIFE.  Could it change your life too?

 

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Are You An Effective Leader?

Deep down I believe we are all leaders.  Now, for some it may be a little deeper than others.  You know there are people who leading seems to come naturally, right?  Then there are others who struggle with doubt in their abilities to lead.  Which one are you? Or do you fall someplace in the middle.  I will admit, depending on the situation I can fall in either category.

The truth is, the only qualification for being a leader is “you make decisions which influence other people”.  Yup, it is as simple as it comes.  Since we are all leaders, we might as well work on being a great ones, right?

The key to becoming a great leader is not to focus on becoming “a great leader”  but to focus on whether or not you are someone worth following.  This can apply to anywhere you are a leader – our home, your job, your community or in your own business.

Every since Andy Andrews was a speaker at Thirty One’s National Conference, I have been diving into his books and his ideas.  He says there are THREE key qualities of someone who is worth following and they are:

 1. They are truly transparent
This seems to be the new “buzz word” in the business world.  Being transparent means you always take ownership of your mistakes and shortcomings in front of the people you’re leading. You don’t pretend to be perfect and you admit when you’re wrong.  I am definitely transparent!

A truly good leader will also know the difference between a mistake and a bad choice.  Do you know the difference?  A mistake is something accidentally done, but with good intentions. A bad choice is something purposely done.  I tend to make more mistakes than I do bad choices although when it came to my addictions I would have to say it was more bad choices.

Knowing how to handle the consequences of both by being transparent builds your followers’ loyalty.  When people understand your thinking and see you are human, they will want to follow you.

   2. They know how to get back on track
Leaders along with their followers make mistakes and poor choices.  A great leader will know how to get not only themselves but also their followers back on track when they are negatively affected by a mistake or bad choice.

Leaders can shift perspective back to the big picture when things go wrong.  Leaders remain calm in the face of confusion and crisis.  When we are transparent, followers feel safe coming to us with their own mistakes and bad choices.

3. They take advantage of teachable moments.
To remain a leader and help people grow, great leaders take advantage of opportunities to teach.  Don’t we do this as parents?

How many times have we let our “bad mood” handle a situation inappropriately?  The end result is not good and usually leads to a screaming match, right?  How often have you used a moment like this to be transparent with your kids.

As a single mom who was a recovering addict, I needed to acknowledge my bad choices and ask forgiveness.  If it was just a mistake, a simple apology worked to make things right.  If I made a bad choice, I didn’t wait to be transparent.  I easily shared what was happening with me and the fact it was no excuse for how inappropriately I had acted. I will admit, many thought I shared way too much with my young daughter BUT it always strengthened our relationship. The valuable teaching moments rarely occured at convenient times.  So, it meant stopping what I was doing, checking my emotions, and taking a sharp detour. Great leaders seize teachable moments, whether they’re inconvenient and uncomfortable.

It is easy to focus  on ourselves when we think about effective leadership but it can be overwhelming at time.  So, shy not shift from a “ME” perspective to an outward focus.

Ask yourself:

• Who stands to gain from my improved leadership?
• How will my leadership help those following me?
• How would a steady, calm presence of leadership make those around me become more effective?

Picture those people in your mind—your family members, your co-workers, your employees, or whomever else you might be leading. They will give you all the motivation you need to become someone worth following.

Who do you follow?  Picture one of those leaders from your own life, right now.  What did they do to make you want to follow them?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

A Lesson in Leadership

Happy HUMP DAY!  I wanted to share this post from Party Plan Divas and Lynsey Jones.  The focus is about being a Leader in your direct sales business BUT these lessons that our children teach us can be applied any part of our life.

If you’ve ever watched children play, then you see that some just seem to be natural born leaders and it comes to them with little to no effort. They take charge without even really trying to make it happen. They possess the signs of being a true leader – even at a young age. I realized that we can learn from these little leaders to help us grow our direct sales businesses even more.

Mission Minded

Children who are leaders go onto the playground filled with a mission in mind. They make it their goal to get everyone on board with their course of action. They don’t let objections from others steer them off from their overall plan. Whether it is to get everyone to play a certain game, or to control who goes on which apparatus first – these children have a clear cut goal.

Selfless

Even though they have a clear plan in mind, they are open to ideas from their team mates on how to achieve the mission. They ensure they are considerate of everyone’s points of views. They don’t leave any member behind or feeling worthless. A leader knows how to get everyone involved – by making them all feel like they are a part of the group.

Create Connections

In a child’s mind, everyone they get to play with instantly becomes a new friend. They act like this person is their best friend and will be for all of time within minutes of meeting each other. They savor the moments they have with each other to the fullest. They aren’t afraid to ask personal questions and get to know each other. They make instant plans to spend more time together if their parents allow it.

Persistent

An often overlooked sign of being a leader, is pure persistence. A person who feels in charge is quite persistent about obtaining what they want. In most cases, the person being pushed doesn’t even feel it’s happening to them. A leader has a way of incorporating another person’s desires into their own because they seek out like-minded people to be around. Children are the perfect example of persistence and never giving up – just think about how many times they ask for that ice cream cone.

Responsible

Children who are in charge aren’t afraid of taking the consequences should their plan cause someone to get in trouble. They are also quick to stand up for their groups. They own responsibility for themselves and those under their care. They make sure everyone is treated equally and gains the same rights.

What have kids around you taught you about the signs of being a leader? Share your thoughts with us…

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Recruiting Restaurant Servers

Happy Monday!!!  How many of you went out to eat this past weekend?  How many of you are in direct sales? How many of you in direct sales are interested in growing a team?  I know, what do these things have in common, right?

Did you have a good waitress (or waiter)?  What made them good at their job?  A pleasant personality?  A great smile?  Good customer service?  Service above and beyond?  Think about it, isn’t that the kind of person that you would want on your team?

According to Simon Chan who wrote the book “71 Ways to Sponsor More Distributors”, here are 5 reasons why servers make great recruits:

1) THEY DON’T EARN MUCH MONEY

• Most servers are working at the restaurant part time or as a second job.
• With that annual salary they will NEVER achieve their dreams!
• Your MLM opportunity can be the perfect solution for them.

2) SERVERS HAVE GOOD PEOPLE SKILLS

They already know how to smile, warm people up with ice breakers and make people feel comfortable.

3) SERVERS ARE GREAT COMMUNICATORS

• Servers are great listeners and give people undivided attention when they take orders.
• Even after they serve your food, most waiters pay attention to your body language to see if you have finished eating or need help.
• Servers also communicate properly to the kitchen so that the right orders are served.
• These communication skills will help them get a head start as distributors.

4) SERVERS ARE ALREADY RECOMMENDING THINGS

• Servers give recommendations everyday and whether they realize it or not, servers are selling all the time.
• Before they take your order, many will “sell” you to try the specials of the day.
• When asked for recommendations, servers always confidently recommend what they like.

5) SERVERS SERVE OTHERS

They’re used to serving customers so serving and helping their future MLM team won’t be an issue.

Not sure how to do it?  Check out the e-book by clicking HERE.  Start to build a relationship with them during the meal.  Talking, complimenting and asking questions.  Offer the opportunity.  They can say “yes” they are interested in hearing more OR they can say “no”.  If they say, yes you can exchange contact information and follow-up.  If they say “no” to the opportunity but share your business card or product information.  They may be interested down the line.

I LOVE the idea that going out to eat is part of my marketing and recruiting plan.  Of course, that may mean going to different restaurants.  So, prospect your Server the next time you go out because you never know where your next superstar is hiding.  So don’t be shy to prospect the next time you go out to eat.

Bon Appetit!  I challenge you to try this and let me know how it goes.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Traits of a Great Leader

For those of us in direct sales, we know that the best way to grow your business is to recruit, right?  When you recruiting numbers are down, or when your team is not interested in promoting, do you wonder if you are a good leader?  Don’t be discouraged, you can turn things around.

We have heard a million times that “If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. Jim Rohn calls leadership the great challenge of life.”

How do you become a good leader?  Here are traits of a great leader courtesy of Success magazine

1. Learn to be strong but not rude. Some people mistake rudeness for strength. It’s not even a good substitute.

2. Learn to be kind but not weak.  Kindness is a certain type of strength. We must be kind enough to tell somebody the truth. We must be kind enough and considerate enough to lay it on the line. We must be kind enough to tell it like it is and not deal in delusion.

3. Learn to be bold but not a bully.  To build your influence, you’ve got to walk in front of your group. You’ve got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble.

4. You’ve got to learn to be humble but not timid. You can’t get to the high life by being timid. Humility is a grasp of the distance between us and the stars, yet having the feeling that we’re part of the stars. So humility is a virtue, but timidity is a disease. Timidity is an affliction. It can be cured, but it is a problem.

5. Be proud but not arrogant. It takes pride to win the day.  But the key to becoming a good leader is being proud without being arrogant.

6. Develop humor without folly. In leadership, we learn that it’s OK to be witty, but not silly. It’s OK to be fun, but not foolish.

7. Deal in realities. Deal in truth. Just accept life like it is. Life is unique. Skills that work well for one leader may not work at all for another. But the fundamental skills of leadership can be adapted to work well for just about everyone: at work, in the community, and at home.

These traits can be learned or fine tuned if you already have them.  Some you may already have while others you think you will never possess.  Are you doomed to not being a good leader, if you don’t have all of these traits – NO!  You may need to work a little harder but you can still be a success.

Whose life will you influence today?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!