This MOM has her "own" money and a LIFE!

Cindy and I met on Facebook in October! She has been going gang busters ever since and I asked her to write out her experience...

I was introduced to the gourmet candle business online while chatting with Kari Andersen about our favorite author, Jane Porter, and the gourmet candles that she was selling.

We had so much in common that within a month of chatting, I signed up to sell them myself! Although Kari and I live across the country from each other, we don't let that hinder business or friendship! I had some serious doubts about myself and was really scared of failing after I signed up but Kari was my rock!

After chatting with Kari that day and looking at her website, I realized I seriously needed to get myself a life! I was tired of my life revolving around cleaning toilets, washing dishes, and laundry. I still have to do those things but now I am mixing it up with the fun of candle parties and holiday boutiques. I not only get to have "grown up" conversations but I get to dress like a "grown up" too! Not like the sweats I had been living in for 5 years!

I was really limited in cash flow to start up so I only signed up with the Candle of the Month kit and 50 catalogs. Each week, I placed a small order to build up my kit for Home Parties. In the first 10 weeks of selling, I did over $1500.00 in sales and the number keeps growing!! The orders keep coming in!! I have orders coming in over the phone, in email, and in person as I bring my son to preschool. I already have 3 parties and a fundraiser for an entire elementary school in January and the first week of February!

This Christmas, not only did I have some fabulous new friends AND candles, but I have my "own" money! I even shopped for my husband's Christmas gifts and he didn't have to pay for them!! What a great feeling! I also have some great gifts for my children's teachers, bus driver, babysitter, hard to shop for parents and in-laws and nice gifts to give out to the hostesses when I visit at the holidays!

And let's not forget the fact that the leaders are a big part of this business! None of this would be possible without her guidance!! What could you ask for in a team leader other than them being a friend already? And don't forget, we already share a love for similar reading material and candles!

She is a personal cheerleader and a sounding board for ideas and thoughts. Kari is all of that and so much more!! She is always there to answer my millions of questions and when I do even the smallest of good things, she is my loudest cheerleader! After all, I can hear her across the country!!! Thank you, Kari!!

I hope everyone has a fabulous 2009! I know I will! See you in August at the Fling!

Cindy Huljack

Watchung, NJ

http://cindyhuljack.scent-team.com

My note of gratitude for all the kind words!!

Dear friends,

I am still numb and in a happy fog from all these kind words!! It has been quite the amazing journey to Double Diamond and I feel so blessed and thankful for my LIFE... and all of you!

When I signed up on Oct. 25th, 2004 (Thanks Jackie for always remembering our anniversary;) to become a distributor, I was looking for a way to GET A LIFE. Of course I wanted to make money but I was really looking for a way to be empowered. I was stifled and bored and just KNEW that there had to be more. Well, I not only found MORE, I found YOU!!

I can honestly say that knowing all of you is the best part of the whole deal. I look forward to the events (VEGAS, BABY!!) to see you, chat with you, learn with you and of course, party with you!! When I signed up with Jackie, I got on every training call offered for 2 years. I still get on a lot of them esp. Jackie's calls. I always learn something. It always reminds me why I am here. I never tire of hearing the story or telling my story. I keep selling what I bought and my check keeps growing and my life keeps getting better.

Many of you know that this last year was a hard financial year for us (like it was/is for many of you) so we relocated to a different state, tightened the belt and adjusted our lifestyle so we could make it through the storm.

I never stopped working my business and I never gave up and quit. I still can't believe that I achieved my heart's desire and goal of becoming a Double Diamond at the height of the worst recession that our country has seen in a long time. What a story that is!! What an awesome company and product we have!!!! What a blessing to have such a fabulous team... I am humbled by them and grateful for them.

This is where I want to give a special thanks and congrats to NEW 5K Diamond, Cheryl Hill, Chill, who has been my business partner and friend for almost three years now. She has let me cry on her shoulder and is also the first one I call to share good news. She listened to my daily updates on volume status and even checked it for me when I was at the beach during Thanksgiving without internet access. She is sillier than me and always makes me laugh.

I traded a candle for a tube of lipstick from a mutual friend who does MK who later showed Cheryl the candle and she signed up. What if I wouldn't have shared my candle with that mutual friend??? I might have been denied my best friend... I can't imagine life without her. The lesson... your new best friend and top leader might be one brave decision away.

Of course, I have to thank Jackie Ulmer. She was there on the internet with the keyword "candles" on her website and I found her. Yep, I typed "candles" into a yahoo search and SHE was #1!! That is amazing. I really didn't look any further than that... she was who I wanted to be and how I wanted to do it. She has been the perfect leader/mentor for me. God had her waiting for me when I was ready.

Thank you Jackie for your patience with me and your gentle accountability. You never brow beat me or make me feel like I don't measure up. Just great training and cheering... that is what I needed at this stage in my life!!

I feel like I'm accepting an Oscar...hehehe!

I also want to thank Charlie Umphred. For some odd reason, he believed in me from the start. He began mentoring me and caring about my success from early on and what he taught me through his training calls, speeches at events and personal conversations has made all the difference. He's not just an owner or VP of marketing. He's a person you could call if your plane has been delayed overnight to come get you, offer a place to crash at his house with him and Cyndi, feed you a gourmet meal and take you back to the airport at 4am. (true story, obviously!!)

And last but not least, thank you to my family. Collin, my wonderful husband, has cheered for me and supported me ALMOST from the beginning. It was shaky at first but with time and education and a NICE check, he came around! My kids have hung in there when I needed to be on a call or go out of town. They love that I'm home when they get home from school or when they have 3 Snow Days in a row!! They are awesome business partners, too!

Thank you all again. I am a better person because of my friendships with all of you!

Kari Andersen

Double Diamond

California/Montana/Oregon/Beaches of the World!!http://www.momsmakingmoneyfromhome.com/

10 Ways to Use Your Sample Bag to Explode Your Business

10 Ways to Use the Sample Bag to Explode Your Business
(Called Shoulder Display Bag in Distributor Materials)
http://www.kariandersen.scent-team.com/distributormaterials.php

• Home Party - Ask friends to host a party for you with their friends. Set the trays of scent samples out on the table or floor with order forms and let people SMELL and then you SELL. Perfect way to take orders, collect money ahead of time and use that money to place the orders. No inventory needed with this option and you never have to use your own cash to place the order!

• Catalog (Book) Parties- Loan your sample bag to a friend with about 20 catalogs and price list included and set up a Catalog Party where that person takes the bag, lets people smell and they take orders for you. You award free product to that person based on sales! See party guides in back office for incentive ideas.

• Career Day Classroom Presentations- Take your sample bag into your child's classroom and give a presentation about what you do as an independent distributor with your own candle business. Have them raise their hands and give you a letter of the alphabet. Pick a scent that starts with that letter and have them pass it around and smell. Give each student a scent sample to take home to mom!

• Classroom Craft - Make scent sachets for the kids to take home to mom for her car, lingerie drawer or purse. Use the sample bag to create excitement for all the scents you carry. Make a game out of it. The craft is a way to offer something of value to the kids and teacher.

• Table at Craft Fair or Booth- If you don't have a large inventory to take with you to a craft fair or booth at a farmer's market, expo, etc. then use your sample bag to take orders.

• Expos- Take your sample bag, business cards and scent samples with you to an EXPO in your town. You don't always have to invest in a booth in order to take advantage of an EXPO. Walk around and look for those that are in your niche market. My niche market is MOMS so I look for those that have kids with them in strollers, etc. and I ask them if they'd like a small gift, hand them a scent sample and ask them to enter my contest on my website. The strong and wonderful scent of the bag usually opens up a lot of conversation. You may not even have to open it up!!

• Walk and Talk Lifestyling- Pack presentation brochures, catalogs, business cards, scent samples and some votives into your bag. Keep the bag in your car and when you are out and about running errands and you talk to someone who is interested in candles or a home business, you have the bag to show as a great tool they can will have available, find their favorite scent and literature packed inside. Office on the GO!!

• VIP Candle Party- This is a party for one person who is unable to get out and do their holiday shopping. Your sample bag is crucial for the success of this party!!

• Holiday Dinner Parties with Family- Take your Sample Bag with you to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner when your family gets together. It's the perfect time to take some last minute orders for the holidays!

• Girls Night IN!- Plan a night with your girlfriends to come over and eat fun foods, drink fun drinks and SMELL AND SELL. Throw the sample bag trays on the floor and enjoy a night of laughing and smelling great scents!

Kari Andersen

www.MomsMakingMoneyFromHome.com

Oregon