My Story
Take not the counsel of your fears.
 Do you know what you have in your hands? Probably not. I didn’t either when my husband first suggested a network marketing company to me in 2002. If you think you know what network marketing is all about… think again. It is more than it appears. Take a closer look. You are here for a reason, whether it is for you or for someone you know.
I have always believed we are each born with a unique set of gifts, talents and intellect. What we’ve been given is completely up to God, what we do with it is completely up to us. My husband and I wanted to be wise stewards of what we had been given, so we tried best to follow the advice we heard. Go to school, get a good job, live below your means, pay off debt, and invest for the future.
As time passed, we grew more and more frustrated. We were grateful for good jobs, but we were working hard while not getting much further ahead. We didn’t own our own lives. We felt like we were trading time for money. We were spending little time doing what was most important to us, cramming our living into nights and weekends. We wanted more out of life—freedom to fulfill our callings, to be more, do more, and give more.
 We began a search for a way to have more money and more time. Our sense of urgency was fueled by kids on the horizon. We read some books that opened our eyes to the concept of passive income. My husband, Forrest, suggested we look into a home-based business. He had a buddy who didn’t have to work anymore because his wife was doing so well in one. (Somehow I don’t remember him telling me that part). Anyway, I dismissed it. I knew what those "home-based businesses" were all about, or so I thought. Besides, I had negative stereotypes about them.
Instead, we evaluated real estate and other business ownership options, and invested our life savings into a franchise. We didn’t own the business, it owned us. We just paid a lot of money for another job. We had constant concern for employees and overhead.
Life in the fast lane left me feeling weary. I was completely worn out and felt "guilty" that I was doing only a mediocre job in my roles as employee, business owner, wife and mother. Because of my lack of time, I felt like I was giving less than my best to everyone, including myself. My home wasn't organized, I didn't take time to cook the healthy meals I knew were important, I cut back on my exercise routine, I wasn't sleeping well, Forrest and I forfeited our date nights, we served little in our church, and my spiritual development became a story of the past. Most agonizing was missing precious time with my babies who were becoming little boys before my eyes.
 About this time, fall of 2005, an old work colleague and friend called and shared with me her excitement about her company. I was still skeptical. I had absolutely NO time to add something else to the list. I was already working a full-time corporate job, raising two boys under the age of two, and running a franchise. I had no time to mess around with something that would take more of my time and bring me in little money. I didn’t want to waste my time. Thank God I had the sense to rationalize that it wasn’t going to hurt me to look into it and at least try the product.
Burned by small business ownership and professionally trained as a financial analyst I spent the next couple of months trying to tear the business plan apart. Deep inside I was afraid of making another move that didn’t work. But the more I learned the more I was impressed. The facts spoke for themselves. From the product, to the leaders, to the training, it was all impressive. Men and women from all walks of life were involved with network marketing.
I was surprised to discover how little I actually knew about the network marketing industry. I had previously heard of "opportunities" but I thought they were nothing more than scams where only a few made out with all the money and glory. This time I was learning the legitimacy of the industry and its endorsement by well-known, respected business men and investors. I learned the difference between a legitimate opportunity and a pyramid scheme—they were not synonymous.
 I knew if I wanted my life to be different I had to do something different. What did I have to lose? This was what we had been looking for. I didn’t have any extra time, but I found some nooks and crannies and committed to working our new venture consistently. I started telling people, "I’m working full-time on my job, but part-time on my fortunes." I had new life breathed into me… a hope for our future. It fulfilled me to help my team achieve not just financial success but total life success as we grew into better parents, better spouses, bigger dreamers, and bigger givers. None of my previous professional pursuits made me feel such exhilaration.
The success we have experienced in network marketing has afforded me the opportunity to quit my corporate job, sell our franchise, and my husband is pursuing his passion for ministry, and my boys have both their mom and dad at home. Most importantly, fear doesn’t have a hold on me like it used to. My goals have grown so far beyond my family’s own needs because I know what is possible. We feel so blessed and are passionate about sharing this blessing with others.
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