Friday, April 12, 2013

For Dream-Seekers Like Me


Life is constantly about making choices. Sometimes those choices are easy. Sometimes they are really hard.

One bossy factor when it comes to making choices is that there are only 24 hours in a day. Somedays this seems to be the bane of my existence. Having to make a choice between 2 or more things because I just don’t have enough time, often feels like failure. If I don’t have enough time to mow the yard that doesn’t usually tear me up. But having to tell someone you don’t have room in the schedule can be torture.

Over 2 years ago I found myself looking for a way to earn some money while working at home. I had a tiny little boy and 2 older girls. Between doctors visits and school involvement and my husband’s company, we agreed that a job outside of the home was just not feasible. But direct sales seemed to be calling my name and my favorite company by far was The Pampered Chef.


photo credit: Bruce A Stockwell via photopin cc

I had NEVER wanted to be in sales. I didn’t want to be pushy, I hated the idea of talking people into something they can’t afford, and I was scared of the NO’s. But it turned out it wasn’t like that. I DID believe in the product and knew that it was a worthwhile investment for anyone who spends more than 5 minutes in the kitchen. I had a boatload of support from the company and my director. And I learned more than I ever expected about how to succeed - at anything.

During my 2 years of selling Pampered Chef products, I attended conferences, met inspiring women, and found a confidence in myself and my abilities I hadn’t felt for years. I learned time management skills, organizational strategies, and a lot about rejection. I toughened up, but at the same time I softened to the the very different kinds of life circumstances people find themselves in... that sometimes can lead to great accomplishments.

I’ve made a decision that I will no longer be selling Pampered Chef because my circumstances have changed. There is a new plan for my 24 hours these days and I think I’d be better off as a hostess than a consultant. (Lucky for my new consultant, I have also developed an addiction to these kitchen tools. ;) As I wrote the letter to my director explaining this latest difficult ‘choice,’ I was surprised by the swelling of emotions in my heart. Whenever we have meetings we talk about the great friendships that we’ve made in this business. And I always agree. But until the possibility of not seeing these people regularly is presented to me, I might not have realized quite the extent to which they were blessing my life. No matter what field of work you are in, the people always make the biggest difference. Today that truth fills the room I write in.

People’s experiences in direct sales vary widely. I know this has everything to do with the people they work with and the product they sell. But my experience has been incredible and I will always defend the possibilities and dream seekers that flourish within this arena.



No comments :

Post a Comment

Thanks for joining the conversation!