Motivating Mum UK

Lucy Beckford is  an Independent Consultant and Team Leader with NYR Organic, the Party Plan arm of Neal’s Yard Remedies of Covent Garden.

Lucy says:

Neal’s Yard Remedies is a family-owned, British company with over 30 years heritage of producing award-winning natural and organic health and beauty products.

NYR Organic itself has only been around for 3 years and is rapidly growing, as people are becoming aware of the fabulous host reward programme for inviting a few friends round for a pampering session!  As such, there are many exciting business opportunities available as an Independent Consultant which are flexible to fit in with existing commitments, be that family or another job.

Someone offered me the opportunity to build a business with NYR Organic a year ago and it’s made a real positive difference to my life.  Contact me to find out how it could change yours.

 

Lucy can be found at  www.uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/lucybeckford

Lucy is giving away a duo of giftsets – one for you to give to your mum and one to keep for yourself!   The prizes are a Neal’s Yard Remedies Indulgence Gift Collection worth £35 and our Melissa Hand Care Giftset worth £28.50 – which one will you give away?

To enter this competition please check out the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions – See more at: http://www.theprizefinder.com/content/win-two-neals-yard-gift-sets#sthash.eCSkTCLr.dpuf

At this time of year I like to have a good look at the Google Analytics statistics for my blog.  Overall my visits for the year are up 260% over the same period last year, so I guess I must finally be getting something right

I’ve written an awful lot of stuff over the past year, some of which I thought was quite good and some which to use my own word, was probably awful, but at the end of the day my opinions don’t count so much.

I was recently given some Scentsy products to try by Liz Barnes, who trades as www.Scenti-mental.scentsy.co.uk

If anyone reading has not heard of Scentsy yet, they are an American company which provides beautiful room scenters, in the form of wax heaters.  Basically it’s like burning a scented candle or an oil burner, but without the fire hazard of the smoke pollution. The scent from the wax is very strong and long lasting.

I’ve always loved scented candles and candle products, but stopped using them once the children came along as I didn’t feel safe. With two school age children and a new puppy in the house the idea of room scenters suddenly seems like a very good idea.  I have been aware of Scentsy for about two years now, and quite keen to give them a try.

The burner I reviewed was a full size burner called Jane. The way it works is you plug it into the mains and a heating plate underneath the dish on the top, slowly warms the wax and releases the fragrance. The dish is removable for easy cleaning.

There are about 30 different warmers in the range in lots of different colours, sizes and decor styles.  I really like Jane – the bit in behind the latticework glows when it is switched on.  I would have liked a separate on-off switch apart from just the plug, but it’s a small thing.

The wax fragrances come in packets of 8 cubes – and retail for £5 each (3 for £14 or 6 for £25). Each cube fragrance is supposed to last for about 8-10 hours so the packs are very good value for money.

I was sent two packs of wax to review – Sweet Pea and Vanilla from the Favourites Collection, and Cucumber and Lime from the Seven Seas range.  The fragrances are all very poetically described in the catalogue – makes you just long to smell them.  I like the sound of the Spa ones best:

New Lotus Cove – A splash of sea air, earthy lavender and water flowers anchored by rustic driftwood

Doesn’t that just make you want to go out there and try it – sounds wonderful and I’m sure it smalls wonderful too.

Of the two scents that I tried, the whole family preferred the Sweet Pea and Vanilla one.  I liked the cucumber and lime, but my husband thought it smelt a bit weird and the children were not keen either (there are special ‘man’ smells for your other halves…). I use the burner in the living room, and the scent goes throughout the downstairs of the house, up the stairs and into my bedroom.  No smell of damp puppy anywhere as far as I can tell.

The Mail on Sunday published an article last week about how more and more people are switching to online printers of greetings cards and pushing bricks and mortar companies into liquidation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-2146759/Old-fashioned-cards-given-internets-personal-touch.html

It is certainly the case that a card made with personalised photos and names printed on says so much more than just buying any old thing from the supermarket.  ”Its the thought that counts” they say – and I have to admit that I love receiving cards and letters in the mail that show a little bit of thought and care has gone into them.  My mum makes handmade cards, which I love to get, but if you don’t have the time or the talent for this, there are other options available. Read the rest of this entry »

by Clare Moran, Co-Founder of My Secret Kitchen

My Secret Kitchen is the UK’s first nationwide food and drink tasting company.  We are a direct selling party plan business (we prefer to call our events ‘tastings’) with currently 80 consultants from Edinburgh to the South Coast.  The concept is that we produce our own range of exciting new food products which consultants prepare and show to clients at home tasting events.  We also have on-line sales but predominantly we want to support our consultants to build their own businesses by selling direct to consumers.

The direct selling food concept is so exciting to us – you get to taste and experience our foods with expert advice from one of our consultants as well as hearing new recipes and share ideas of your own.  It is the ultimate in enabling consumers to have a complete buying decision. Read the rest of this entry »

My name is Janet Cousins and at the age of 50 I discovered I was bored with the teaching and managerial job I had been doing for some years and was looking for a total change.  It was not as though I had always done this, as until the children came along, I was happy to be a secretary.  Indeed, in the early years of mothering I was content to stay at home, but when my youngest was 7, I undertook a course which awarded me a Certificate in Education. This enabled me to gain a part-time post working for the local education authority.  But the time came, when once again I was compelled to move on.  My children were still living at home, but only needed me from time to time as they were nearly grown up.  I on the other hand still had bags of energy and an urge to run my own business. Read the rest of this entry »

My name is Robyn Hatley and I run a MLM business with Arbonne – alongside my other businesses!

Deluded? NO!  Crazy? MAYBE! Having Fun? YES! Enjoying Succcess? OH YES!

Some of you will already know me through my other business Mums The Business  and through my associate partnering with Motivating Mum .  In these 2 businesses, I act as a mentor & trainer for ambitious mumpreneurs.  I help mums who are either working within a MLM business or who are considering taking on a MLM business – I train & mentor them to be better business women, and to ask the right questions before deciding if MLM is the right business for them.  So in this role I have to be impartial and independent, and I don’t promote (nor criticize) any particular MLM company.  What this does mean though, is that I have had the wonderful privilege of truly understanding the business model of MLM, how MLM Companies differ from each other, and how to be successful at MLM!

Ok, so let’s get serious (well, just a little!) – initially I didn’t think that traditional MLM was for me.  Whilst MLM is a successful, tried & tested business model, and you can “hit the ground running” with a new business within weeks (sometimes days!), I just  didn’t think I could squeeze it in!

I also knew that with some MLM companies, the emphasis is on selling.  Great if you have that in your skills set – but I unfortunately didn’t!  You see, my previous career and current businesses were all about training, mentoring, helping others succeed (I’m an ex HR Consultant for an international blue chip company & I now run my own businesses training & mentoring mumrepreneurs).

So here’s what happened: I was introduced to Arbonne two years ago, by a close friend, who joined the business networking group that I managed.  I soon became a customer of Arbonne as I personally loved the products and their commitment to being green.  The products are a highly regarded, premium brand with a Swiss heritage (healthy, botanically based, pure and safe). As a conscientious mum, I’m always reading labels and avoiding the “nasties” that are often in our food and skincare / cosmetics ranges.  Also, one of my daughters suffered from very dry skin, with outbreaks of eczma, and one of the products in the Arbonne range certainly did the trick in resolving this nasty condition.

What I didn’t fully understand at the time, was what a fantastic GLOBAL business opportunity Arbonne offered.  I was already running 3 home-based businesses, and a family – so believe me, I wasn’t looking for another project! It was only when the prospect of relocating countries emerged on my horizon, that i began to look at my lifestyle and career / business options – and Arbonne again!

Opportunities arise when you least expect them!  The key to success is being open to explore them!  DO YOU HAVE A PLAN B…? Most people don’t and I didn’t really either. Considering the current economy, and also that my husband is involved in professional sport, which can take us anywhere in the world, I decided to look at Arbonne more seriously.  And besides the effective, award winning Skincare, Cosmetics and Nutrition products, here are the other key reasons why I personally decided to start up an Arbonne business:

Arbonne is a 21st Century MLM business – it is an online business.  That means I don’t personally manage stock, payments or deliveries.  It also means that I can create a residual income (“earning money while I sleep”), so it can be run alongside my existing businesses.  It also means I can run my Arbonne business from anywhere in the world (whether on holiday or permanently relocated).  I found the start up costs to be lower than I expected.  The products are daily consumable products, so my success is based on the effort of repeat business, not constantly finding new customers.   And for me, the most exciting prospect of all, is that Arbonne is a $billion company, but currently only available in 4 countries: USA, Canada, UK and Australia.  And because I am not geographically limited with Arbonne, I can grow myself a global MLM business. And I suspect, that like me, you have friends and family scattered across the world too. Its not very often that you come across an established 30 year old, successful Company that still has HUGE growth potential.

Please feel free to contact me for a coffee, a chat to find out more about the business, and the opportunity to test drive the amazing Arbonne products.

Thank you for your time and curiosity!  Robyn Hatley
Tel:(0044)7946 018 971
email: robynhatley@myarbonne.co.uk
website: http://robynhatley.myarbonne.co.uk/

Hello my name is Shona Andrews and this is my Scentsy Story.

I have always worked full time until the birth of my first child and even then returned to work after 6 months which I have always regretted.  When the second one came along I vowed to do it differently.  Unfortunately circumstances changed…ie husband left, I had to admit defeat and returned to work part time.  It’s then that I started to think about the work at home opportunitites.  I did a lot of research looking for the right product, and  the right company as there are so many scams out there.

I came across Scentsy by accident, I had relocated nearer my family for additional support and the new home was quite damp.  Although the family said they could not smell anything, I could…so out came the old scented candles I had had for years acting as ornaments. I soon discovered (hey, got kids now) ….naked flames attracted the baby, matches attracted the older one, the wick disappeared and could I find it??, lots of wasted scented wax up the side of glass jars and that’s not mentioning the smoke and soot on the walls.  I tried plug ins but they made me sneeze, so I was already looking for something different in the home fragrance department.   That’s when I came across Scentsy….I was looking at an article from a MLM blog and it mentioned this up and coming company just launching in the UK….though ok that’s good, opportunity to get in at the top….looked it up and was surprised to discover it was wickless candles!!!

What you may say!

Well, its an electric wax warmer to be precise but it uses block wax which is heated on a hot plate system.  I thought,  oh I want one of them…tried to find a local agent and the website kept directing me to US agents, as it’s been going over there for several years and was HUGE!  Fastest growing Direct Sales company ever… I eventually found one in Scotland….hint always sign under someone in the UK if possible as you will then get local support…time difference is a killer.

And after chatting with her and doing all my research, I signed up without even seeing the product except for online.

Since then we have formed a great support group covering Facebook groups to local meetings, and had our first conference, where we got to meet the owners of the company and learnt first hand the ethics and mission behind the company.  They had plenty of success stories but they concentrated on what this company can do for others, the fundraising they do is unbelievable and we even have our own Directors Scholarship Fund for our kids to apply for funding to university.

Anyone wanting to do more research (like me) please check out the website:

www.scentsy.net – check out products and About Scentsy at top right hand corner.

Please choose UK as different markets have different products.

It’s a great time to get onboard, earn that extra cash for Xmas…this product sells itself, does well at parties, basket parties and fairs….the product is so superior to any other on the market…as the wax does not burn but gently warms it carries a higher scent load (lasts longer) and none of the troubles of wicked candles, flame, smoke, soot.

It’s great for people with sensitive noses and health problems which mean they cant use wicked candles eg.  epilepsy.

My journey so far has been exciting and I am sure this is only the start…I have not heard of another consultant in my home town so lots of scope.  I have made loads of new friends and have a social life outside the kids for a change.  I now have that extra cash to treat the kids and MYSELF.

Being a mum everyone knows how we tend to put ourselves last on the list, doing a MLM job helps to give you something back, builds your confidence, gives you extra cash to tide us over these hard times and gives us a social life.

Don’t forget who you are, get the best of both worlds and do a MLM job, but choose carefully.  Find something you are passionate about and it won’t be selling.  Its just sharing a passion, makes it easier to talk about and the selling follows naturally.

Joining a new company makes it easier as well as not many people have heard of them so people are automatically going to ask ‘what’s that?’ and away you go’

Please check out my website www.scentsofshona.scentsy.co.uk for your Christmas shopping, or if you would like to join me representing this really exciting company in your town!

Once upon a time… a company was born…

Just about a year ago, my lifelong friend from school (“BFF” for those that understand the lingo!) asked if I would consider a business concept with her. I agreed on the strict proviso we could discuss it over a mandatory glass of wine, so we could talk business whilst also catching up on the highs and lows of life at the same time… luckily for me she agreed!

So one random Tuesday evening, we met up at a lovely bistro bar that is equidistant between our houses (we handily live about ½ mile apart) and we discussed how our lives had changed beyond recognition since we had grown up and taken on new and challenging responsibilities such as our children, jobs and households. The one element that we recognised had remained stable was the never-ending need to get together with friends, so we could confide in one another and compare notes on life to ensure we were not losing our marbles at a very young age but were all experiencing life challenges at the same time as one another.

These regular therapy sessions kept us all sane throughout the school week and the need to offload and lean on friends is something we all recognise and often diarise weeks and months in advance. As we can never admit our lack of confidence in some life choices we make, or admit we need some reassurance that we are doing well, we would hide these diary arrangements under the guise of a “mum’s night out” or “Ann’s having someone round with cards/kitchenware/perfume/makeup/clothing”.

These arrangements would tidily go on the family calendar so no-one else could double book and when asked why the need to go out to see people we see on the playground every day? I would retort with… “Truth be known, my innocent child’s ears do not need to hear the ins and outs of my adult relationship or my lack of self belief in the decisions I make that affect said child’s life!” And this was when the concept of Best in Glass really came alive!

Best in Glass is a business that allows women (and men!) to come together to have a sociable night in (and therefore not incurring huge pub or restaurant bills) while enjoying a glass of wine and some cocktails. Our consultants take the guests through the basics of wine tasting in a fun and sociable way, with some games and competitions along the way. After the wine tasting the guests are invited to navigate their way through the making of a selection of cocktails, they follow our tailored guides to making the cocktails and are provided with all the equipment they may need.

At the same time, they are able to browse a wide selection of goods that are all related to home bars from a selection of boutique wines and spirits to quirky, fun cocktail accessories. They can even join the BiG Cocktail Club if they are looking to collect a complete range of cocktail accessories. All the items have been carefully selected to reflect high quality and good value for money and are desirable for items for your own home and as gift items…

Aside from the business concept being an attractive and inspiring idea it also captured the ideals that we all harbour of being able to work flexibly around our existing commitments. We run a fully flexible working ethos within the office and often the children are around and about during the working day helping with deliveries (and bursting of bubble wrapping packing!) and they are especially good at writing on the whiteboards (We have one just for scribbles and scrawls now).

Susannah (Founding Partner and BFF) has provided a unique working environment where she recognises the value of providing flexible working opportunities. The commitment and support we receive from our consultants is tremendous, each and every person connected to the business is equally important from those that assist with the packing of party boxes, consultants holding BiG parties through to the management team that is keeping the business side of things ticking along. We have been lucky to experience high growth rates this year as we have been warmly welcomed into the Direct Sales/Party Plan world and although we have (as all new businesses do) made a few mistakes along the way, we have learnt many lessons that have given us a solid and steady growth plan for the next 5 years.

I think our honesty, transparency and total integrity when it comes to supporting our consultants while they grow their own businesses, has given us the honour of being selected as Start Up Business of the Year by Mum and Working Awards 2011. Both Susannah and I were thrilled to be announced as Award Winners and as clichéd as it is, it really did make all the hard work and sleepless nights worth it just to see all our effort being recognised by leading industry figures!

So we are now onto the next exciting phase of building the business and we are still looking for key players to join who can build regional teams and manage clusters of consultants as we grow across the UK… so if you have experience in Direct Sales, know of someone who has ambitions to join a high growth company or you simply recognise the potential opportunities of working with a company who is expanding across the UK you should consider Best in Glass.

Everyone always says that working women can’t have it all… I disagree. Having the concept, going through the set up and subsequent running of an Award Winning Company, Best in Glass not only shows the strength of women who are determined to do it and to succeed but also shows we did it over a glass of wine and gossip! That is most definitely having it all!!!

Running your own business is big step.  I know – I set up ZooBooKoo, designing fun learning toys and games over 14 years ago.  Forget the rose-tinted glasses, running a business is challenging.  You need to be focused, organised, full of energy and to love the products you sell.  But the rewards are huge – satisfaction of doing your own ‘thing’ and building a business, flexible hours and of course the financial gains.

As a family business we have grown over the years but more recently we realized that all our toys and games are of a ‘touchy feely’ nature; they have a ‘wow’ factor when you see how they work and they are still not widely available.  Following incredible success year on year at Christmas shows in London selling directly to the public, we finally decided: we had to build a network of people who could personally present our toys and games to customers at parties and events.  But really they do not have to ‘sell’ the products, they just have to show them, as our toys and games sell themselves.

Consequently over the last year or so we have been prototyping the best structure and systems support and have now gone live – and it’s working!  We have a growing number of Primary Stars independent distributors who are presenting our toys and games.  We decided that the secret to the success of Primary Stars would be simplicity – providing an affordable ready-made business solution with great products, knowing there is wide-spread demand for our unique products and with full business support.

Distributors purchase a Starter Kit (Standard £85 or Mini £55) with a discount of around 50%.  They can then also buy additional stock through the Primary Stars section of the website and earn instant discount commission of 36%.  We ask distributors to commit to purchases of at least £100 (usually £150 but this is a promotional offer until 31st Dec) in the first 90 days after which point the Starter Kit is fully owned.  Also there is a Quick Start option of £35 with deferred payments if money is tight.

We provide a free bag in the Standard Starter Kit and there are training videos online with a follow-up Q&A sessions on Skype or over the phone.  As our teams are growing across the country, personal support will be available locally.  We aim to plan our first Primary Stars Day in the near future.  Personal help is always at hand and online there are free downloadable party invites, receipts, gift vouchers, business cards, order forms, party plan tips and other marketing resources.

As a distributor you are now ready to take orders at parties or attend events with your stock in hand, earning as you sell.  Additionally distributors earn 4% commission on sales over £200 and 8% on those over £400.  And the real cherry on top for active distributors is 4% commission on order from every one you recruit to Primary Stars – down to four levels.  How much will you earn at the end of the month?

So if you love the idea of learning toys and games and you need a challenge or want to save up for something special (that Disney trip or the new car) or you want to build a business of your own, do get in touch with us.  These lovely people did and this is what they say:

‘From my own experience selling ‘Primary Stars’ products, these educational gifts are perfect… – a really good mix – as parents are looking for different types of learning toys and games,’ Mary Steele, Glasgow.

‘I am having a great time selling Primary Stars toys and games – people are loving the products,’ Lyn Blackledge, Isle of Wight.

For more information about Primary Stars fun learning toys and games, please contact me on karenw@primarystars.org or ring 07753-613100.  You can view all our products at www.zoobookoo.com . Please mention Motivating Mum.

Statutory Notice:  It is illegal for a promoter or participant in a trading scheme to persuade anyone to make a payment by promising benefits from getting other people to join a trading scheme. Do not be misled by claims that high earnings can easily be achieved.  The promoter of this trading scheme is Primary Stars, Bentwaters Park, Rendlesham, Suffolk, IP12 2TW.

Here is another article in my series about multi level marketing opportunities for mums.  Today the article is from Claire Jakes who works with the Pampered Chef.

I first heard about Pampered Chef just over 8 years ago when I was invite to a show my friend Sarah was hosting. I went along and enjoyed the evening full of food and giggles and thought this looks fun and easy!!

The funny thing was I wasn’t even looking for a job, as I was on Maternity leave from being a senior sister at my local Neonatal Unit, and my youngest son was just 6 months old and was still breast feeding!!

I fell in love with the products….knew that all I needed to do was 6 shows then the kit on the back of the catalogue would be mine to keep and I would earn a little bit of money along the way, so next day I met up with Marie and signed up for the kit…keeping my fingers crossed that the cheque wouldn’t bounce!!!!

My first show was my own, and I told all my friends that it was just a practice but to come along and have a giggle anyway…..I loved it …such fun and getting paid for chatting, cooking and having fun seemed pretty cool…My first two shows paid for the kit “thankfully !”

The best thing was it meant I could take my complete year’s maternity leave before going back to nursing which is something I had never dreamed of.

Over 8 years on and over 500 shows later, I still love it. I personally do between 4 and 8 shows a month, but some of the lovely ladies in my team are quite happy doing 1 or 2 a month, as there are no targets just incentives! Part of my job that I really love is helping and training my team of ladies and one man! I’ve seen some ladies in my team who have lacked in confidence grow and do really well outside of Pampered Chef shows too.

I love the products I sell and you will often hear me say I’m not a sales woman, my products just sell themselves as people try them out to make scrummy food at the show which is then eaten…thought to be the best bit of the show by my guests.

It is great having a job that is totally flexible round my family’s needs…I am there at the assemblies etc. With my boys being at full-time school, I now offer coffee mornings as well as Express Shows in offices at lunchtimes, which is great as I can be there for just an hour and be home to pick them up from school!!! Being my own boss really motivates me and has been made easier by the fantastic support and training I have received from The Pampered Chef.

I love the customer service part of Pampered Chef..It makes my life much easier along with good quality products, and I find anyone connected with The Pampered Chef always so willing to go out of their way to help, from fellow consultants and directors to the head office team themselves.

I find The Pampered Chef is a very generous company right from guest gifts, amazing hostess freebies and as consultants there is always something to strive for..For all levels of working..from free products  to their amazing Incentive trips…which is part of what really drives my business. I have been on 5 star weekends away to Venice, New York, Monte Carlo, Rome, Athens, Chicago, Lake Maggiore and next year I’m off to Dubai!!!!….as a single mum of 2 boys these trips are an amazing time out for me.

One of the sides to Pampered Chef which I strive to do at least once or twice a month is fundraise. This has allowed me to work with some hosts to raise lots of money for their favourite charity, including anything from the local preschool up to large charities such as Alzheimer’s Association or Macmillan Nurses. For the last 4 years in October, Pampered Chef has worked alongside Cancer Research UK helping them raise money with our Pampered Chef “Help Whip Cancer” Shows and our exclusive Pink Products .To date we have raised over £1million ….This is great fun and I personally go for the pink theme throughout October with wearing pink at my shows and cooking pink recipes….it always ends up as a giggle.. I even have had pink bread at one of my shows!!I am on a mission this month to personally raise £500.

Pampered Chef are always evolving, they bring in new products twice a year, often listening to their customers on what they would like seen in the catalogue. Recently we have started doing Express shows and also have a fantastic new mini kit for those people who either have lots of Pampered Chef products already, or want to just dip their toe in the Pampered Chef business for just £60

In short I love Pampered Chef as it fits in round my busy life as a single mum of 2 very cheeky boys aged nearly 9 and 11.It works alongside my nursing. I have a kitchen full of fabulous products which get used all the time, even by my boys who love to cook for me recipes such as spaghetti bolognaise…of course they love using all my products, and have learnt about running your own business and often can be seen helping by putting together my hostess packs for their pocket money!!

If you would like to find out about either hosting a fun Pampered Chef Show or fundraiser, please contact me on 01279 653980
clairejakes@btinternet.com
www.pamperedchef.biz/clairejakes

If you are intrigued in finding out more about the Business Opportunity, whether it’s as a hobby, part-time, full-time or as a manager then please call our Pampered Chef Opportunity Line on 01344 823630  and listen to a pre recorded message, then call me on 01279 653980 to find out why Now is an Amazing time to join and to answer any questions you may have!!

Here is another example of a mum who has made a success of a multi level marketing business.  Today’s entrepreneur is Kate Sparrow, who works as an independent distributor with Phoenix Trading

When considering starting up a business of my own, I discovered it’s much less risky to join an existing organisation, with a start-up kit, a ready made market and in-built support.

I’m the sort of person who always likes to have lots of pies to stick my fingers in. Some call it crazy, but I call it being ambitious and motivated! I was never going to be happy doing the school run and meeting up with other mums for coffee, but at the same time I didn’t want to miss out on that life either. I’m pleased to say that I have found a way to combine my business with doing all the things I like to do as a mum, and all those that my children demand of me too!

After my first child, Rosie, now 7, I returned to work part-time. When she was about a year old I became a cloth nappy advisor which spurred me on to finding other jobs I could do from home, with flexible hours. I soon realised that the only way to have true flexibility is if you are your own boss. I looked at all sorts of franchises, but the majority of these demanded a huge amount of my time, and usually a huge amount of start-up costs too.

A friend of mine had recently become an Independent Phoenix Trader and she showed me the fabulous greetings cards and stationery. I loved the designs, the quality and above all the great value so once I’d stocked up on cards from her I grilled her on how it all works and joined up myself within a couple of weeks! A year later our second child, William, now 3, arrived and I gave up my part time job. Rosie was starting school so the hours would become increasingly difficult, but I was able to continue with my Phoenix Trading business.

Phoenix is a great opportunity for those seeking to get established as self employed business people. You pay a start up fee of just £30 which provides you with everything you need to get going – including brochures, samples, order forms, display boxes and stationery – and you also have the opportunity to buy a hugely discounted pack of stock at the same time. Products can be sold through the brochures, through your own website (also include in the start up cost!) and at parties and events. The products can’t be sold to retail outlets.

I started selling the cards very easily by showing them to my existing network of friends and family, but this rapidly grew as I started to do coffee mornings and events. Once people have bought Phoenix products once they tend to return again and again! I am about as far away from a ‘sales person’ as you can get, and it’s just not necessary. The products really do sell themselves.

Of course, it’s always handy to have a stock of cards in a cupboard for the many parties that my children seem to go to. They always turn up with a present wrapped in beautiful Phoenix giftwrap with a Phoenix card attached!

There are many benefits of running your own business. The flexibility is key for me. There are no targets set by the company, so there’s no pressure to do a certain amount in any month. I am my own boss so I can fix my hours and change them when need be with no consequences. I had excellent support from the person who sponsored me and it’s also great that I was able to step up the business when I felt ready. With continuing support, I sponsored a few people to help them start up their own Phoenix businesses. I now have a small team and so the focus of my business has changed slightly from purely retail to also supporting and advising the team whilst they develop their own businesses. As a result, you have the choice of starting up a business to just have a bit of extra pocket money and a feeling of satisfaction at the end of the month, or you can develop a team and earn more of a part-time income from it. I have also met some fantastic people – both customers and other Traders. All a lovely bunch!

The company itself is great – they are very ethical and support British industries wherever possible. Last year, Phoenix hit the milestone of having donated £1 million to charity since the company was formed! They are continually coming up with fantastic new designs and products and are very supportive of their community of independent traders.

Statutory Notice : It is illegal for a promoter or a participant in a trading scheme to persuade anyone to make a payment by promising benefits for getting others to join a scheme. Do not be misled by claims that high earnings are easily achieved. The promoter of this trading scheme is Phoenix Trading, Unit 6, 307-309 Merton Road, London, SW18 5JS.

For more information on the Phoenix product range or the business opportunity please visit my website - Phoenix Trading or send me an e-mail kate@sparrowsnest.org.uk

Here is another guest blog about a multi level marketing opportunity.  This one is not very common in the UK yet, and you may not have heard of it, which means that it is a fantastic opportunity.  The company is called SendOut Cards, and the blog is written by Dhea Bartlett

I started off my official career as a secondary high school teacher in the areas of Home Economics, Legal Studies and Textile art. 5 years into my teaching I married and went to live in Singapore. Here I was able to attain a very exciting teaching position at the British Council in Singapore where I taught English to Singaporean children and Business English to corporate Singaporean primarily in the Banking industry.

After a couple of years we continued our journey back to Australia but to the other side of the country, Western Australia where I started my official career in sales. I was part of an international cosmetic company’s promotional team that went into stores to boost store presence and sales for a week. Here I especially loved meeting women and helping them with cosmetic selections which made them feel special… loved the social part of developing trust and relationships.

During this time I also started and completed a Graduate Degree in Business marketing whilst starting and having the first two of our 3 children. After 3 and a half years we returned to Melbourne where we built our first family home and had our 3rd child… They often say that one shouldn’t marry, change jobs, move house or have first child in one year… well let’s just say we did that plus so much more… I think I worked it out that we moved house/home 5 times in 4 years… (two countries and 2 states) and needless to say we moved a further two more times within the same suburbs to allow the children to stay in their same schools and networks….

As I had some time between careers I tried my hand at relief teaching whilst the children were young but I had lost my passion… fast forward to where the children were 2, 4, 6 and I was invited to a “jewellery party”… Well put it this way I found a new passion… I discovered direct selling… 10 years on I worked my way up from Sales Coordinator to Victorian State Sales Manager … I fell in love with the idea of raising my family and earning an increasing income… I absolutely love what direct selling can allow women, especially mums to do… however I have also recently met girls who are at university studying and have become involved in my company and paying their way through university… it really is a great plan B for anyone at any age…

Early in 2009 I discovered an online REAL greeting card business that allowed me to use a system to stay connected with clients, family and friends…at first I used it simply as a great business tool however as people started asking me questions and asking me to show them “How I Did it” and more about how I  created cards I decided to show it to more and more people and in June of 2011 I decided to go full time with this new business…

Why SendOutCards?

Good relationships are the lifeblood of every good company. Relationships between a company and their clients/patients/ customers, employees, vendors, and referral sources are vital to sustained growth, stability and profit. One way to build relationships is to express appreciation. So, why do so few businesses invest any resources to express appreciation? Many companies do not fully appreciate the potential profits associated with keeping existing customers happy versus constantly acquiring new ones. Two-thirds of customers switch from one company to another because of a perceived indifference from the former company. If you want your customers to feel like you care about them and appreciate their business, you need to have a solid Appreciation Marketing System in place.

Research shows that time and costs are the major reasons that people don’t send out appreciation to clients, family and friends but the need is there.

What is Appreciation Marketing? It is a specific activity that helps you express gratitude and appreciation daily. Think about who YOU do business with and why. I bet you tend to continue doing business with those who appreciate your business. NOT saying thank you does more damage than actually saying thank you does good! With well-planned Appreciation Marketing efforts, you will improve retention, which will highly impact your bottom line.

One of my favorite tools that I discovered in 2009, for affordably and easily staying in touch is SendOutCards, which enables you to create a card and add a personal message using your own handwriting font. You can also create a group of people (let’s say “2011 customers”) in your Contact Manager. When you click the SEND button, that card goes to everyone in that group, and the salutation gets filled in with each recipient’s name…not an impersonal “Dear Customer” salutation.

Given that acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing one, it makes a lot of sense to appreciate the customers you already have. Those who feel appreciated and cared for will remain loyal to you when competitors call on them. They are also much more likely to make referrals. Marketing with a high-touch automated tool like SendOutCards makes it so easy. You owe it to yourself, and to your business, to try it out today. In addition to using it for your business imagine how appreciated your family and friends will feel when you never miss their birthday or special occasion…

If you have 3 minutes check it out SendOut Cards and whilst you are looking at the video I want you to ask yourself

Can you think of several people who might be able to use this product?

Then click on the envelope below and watch the second 3 minute video ….

From as little as US$9.80 a month you can start enjoying this brilliant tool… Making a living through giving is truly amazing… Direct Selling has allowed us to enjoy a lifestyle that we would not otherwise have been able to.

Yours in appreciation

Dhéa Bartlett

PS. note from Motivating Mum – ever since Dhea posted this, the idea has been going round in my head and I can’t let it go.  I have now joined SendOut Cards myself, and all the links in this blog are now updated to be my own affiliate links.  Although it is an American company and the cards come from America, it is still cheaper for UK users than many High Street Cards and some other online alternatives, plus I love the photo and video options.  You can send yourself a sample card for free on the site above or contact me with your address and I will send you one debbie@motivatingmum.co.uk.