When you think of a lawyer, what image pops into your head? Is it a man wearing a tie? Is it a woman in a power suit and a pair of killer heels? Maybe its someone sitting at a desk laboring away at legal research. My guess is you probably thought of the actors who portray lawyers in television programs, or if you've hired a lawyer before, perhaps you thought of that person.
Now think of the lawyer you saw in your mind's eye. Would that person be involved in direct sales (a.k.a. network marketing or multilevel marketing)? Did you answer, "no?" If you're like most people you probably did! And this, my friends, is why I want to tell you my story.
Because I'm a lawyer, and in my spare time, I run a makeup and skincare direct sales business. Not only that, I'm a pretty bad ass lawyer. When it comes to the law, I know what I'm doing and I do it well for my clients. I've been recognized by my peers year after year as a Super Lawyers Rising Star.
How did I get involved in direct sales? I am going to tell you the 100% truth here. If I am not honest, I am nothing. So, here it goes. I'm scrolling around on Facebook one day and I see a woman I know and respect, Lauren, announcing that she has joined a direct sales company. I'm confused by this because I know her to be a professional woman with a coveted and well-paying job in pharmaceutical sales. Why would she be doing direct sales? You see, at that time, I had a negative perception of the direct sales industry. It seemed icky to me. People has messaged me before trying to sell me vitamins and shakes and I did not like that. I could never see myself doing something like that and I wondered why Lauren would sign up for something like that.
So I sat back and watched her for a few weeks. I researched the company she was representing and I liked what I read about the company's history, the CEOs, and their mission. I took special note of the fact that the company was new to the direct sales space.
At that time, I was going through a bit of a slump in my legal career. I was feeling burned out. I was really worn down by the day to day grind, which often occurs without thanks and without victory. Day in and day out. Over and over again, and then home to work the "second shift" that all working mothers are familiar with. There was nothing for me. I needed something light in my life. Something positive. I needed something fun. I wanted to branch out and make some new friends. I craved something that was JUST. FOR. ME. The fact that I could build a business from nothing and market it the way I wanted to, was attractive to me.
The Products. Although it was tempting, I didn't sign up right away. I ordered some mascara and then attended a get-together where I tried the makeup and ended up ordering concealer. Those two products proved to me that the products were top-notch and that this company was putting out legitimate professional products and not just a bunch of private labeled junk purchased from who knows where. The products not only worked, but I loved them! They were also beautifully packaged and I identified strongly with the branding. I loved the clean lines of the sleek and simple packaging. I loved looking at them sitting on my bathroom counter. I knew that I could put my name behind the products. That was extremely important to me.
The People. I watched Lauren and the other women involved in the company. These women did not look or act like what I had always experienced with direct sales. They weren't throwing up bright and flashy advertisements telling people to buy this and that, and they weren't sending me messages begging me to join their team or buy their product so they could meet their goal. THAT. CRAP. IS. SO. ANNOYING.
The Process. These women were acting professionally and sharing the products they used and loved. The graphics and the way that they shared the products were different. In a good way. I saw that direct sales can be tasteful. It can be done beautifully. It can be done without begging friends and family to buy from you or to join your team. In fact, that is one of our missions here at LimeLife-- to change the face of direct sales. To change how it is done. To change how the industry is perceived. I realized that I could do this without making the people around me uncomfortable. I realized that I could be control of how I ran my business, and that I did not have to engage in the tactics that made me think of direct sales as icky.
The Decision. I decided to become a part of LimeLife by Alcone. I didn't really waste any time! I was excited to get started and be a part of the movement I was seeing. I went to the website where you sign up, and I clicked "Become a Beauty Guide." It is as simple as that.
The Aftermath. Did I face a bit of pushback from people who know me? You bet I did. Some people thought I was crazy. Had lost my mind. Told me that network marketing was a scam, a "pyramid scheme," and that I'd never make any money. More than one person told me that I would LOSE money and quoted me statistics they had found on the internet. As if I am incapable of doing math, or had not thought about the risks (which are virtually zero with LimeLife). Um, hello? You're talking to a lawyer, here. I have pretty decent analytical skills and I advise people about risks and potential outcomes for a living. Some of my closest family and friends did not and still do not support my LimeLife business, whether that comes in the way of trying a new mascara, or simply asking me about how things are going or offering encouraging words. I think some people pretend like I don't do it. I am okay with that. It isn't anyone's job to support me or what I am doing, whether that is in my law practice or my direct sales business. I will work hard in all that I do, and those who want what I have to offer will find me!
I find that my work with LimeLife is a BEAUTIFUL addition to my life, and to my legal career. When I haven't had a win in the courtroom, I know that I can win by helping a woman choose the correct shade of the best concealer she will have ever used, or a fun new shade of lipstick. I know that I can win by coaching a teammate through a milestone, such as meeting with her very first consultation client.
I don't believe in stereotypes. I won't let the perceptions and opinions of others dictate what I do. I believe that it is okay for a lawyer (or any other professional!) to love makeup and to love helping other women find solutions to their makeup and skincare needs. I believe that it is okay for a lawyer to help other women build businesses that they can run from anywhere in the world. I believe that it is OKAY to be in direct sales, no matter what your background, social status, or profession is.
To conclude, I'm going to give you a list of the reasons I chose to become a part of LimeLife by Alcone:
Legitimate Professional Products That Work. If you're a makeup artist, you know RCMA and Kryolan. Our foundation is made by RCMA. Our concealer is made by Kryolan. When we say we share what the pros use, we mean it. That's why we have celebrity makeup artists in our company who retail LimeLife products as part of their freelance work. We bring the very same makeup used for television and film every day to the everyday woman. That's how we're different from other companies. We are the only direct seller of professional cosmetics.
Company History and Leadership. Our parent company is Alcone Company. We have also partnered with L'Occitane. In fact, L'Occitane sought our company out for partnership. L'Occitane's CEO saw what we were doing and where we were headed and he wanted his company to be a part of it. No other direct sales company has the backing and history that we do.
New to the Market. LimeLife is less than 4 years old and is truly a ground-floor business opportunity. Currently, we have only about 30,000 representatives in the entire world , including in United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. We have only just begun the process of our international expansion. I knew that I could grow my business and build a team faster with a company new to the direct sales space. Contrast that with another popular direct sales company, Rodan + Fields, which has about 300,000 consultants. That's a huge difference, and a huge advantage.
Additional and Residual Income Stream. I wanted to add a stream of income for my family. I've read a lot about the accumulation of wealth. No one becomes wealthy with a salary alone. Wealth is accumulated by having multiple sources of income, some of which are passive. Direct sales seemed like a good fit for me. I knew that I could work hard to establish a client base and team, and that these efforts would continue to pay me for years to come, even though the heavy lifting had already been done.
Zero to Low Risk. I knew that the worst thing that would happen to me by signing up with LimeLife would be that I had bought an almost $400 box of high-end cosmetics and skincare products at the discounted price of $169. That's it. There is no penalty to quit at anytime. I had spent that amount of money on shopping trips and eating out, so why wouldn't I spend it to start a business? I figured if I got involved and hated it, then I would just quit. If I got the box of products and I didn't think that I could make a business out of it, then I would just quit. I knew of no other business I could establish for that cost (which is a business expense, by the way).
Tax Benefits. Operating a direct sales business from home comes with certain tax benefits, and that was attractive to me. I am a fan of keeping more of the money that I earn rather than giving it to the IRS. I'm no tax lawyer, though, so I'll leave the specifics to the experts. To put it simply, you can write off expenses such as mileage, cell phone, internet, equipment, products used for sampling to customers, etc. You can even take a home office deduction for the portion of your home which you use for your home office.
Different Methods of Doing Business. I liked the fact that LimeLife representatives were coached not to beg family and friends to buy products. They didn't send cold messages to strangers asking them to buy products or to "join our team." They didn't use tacky graphics. They just shared what they loved, and emphasized relationships and exceptional customer care.
Culture of Empowering Women. I believe that women should support and love one another. I believe that we should empower each other. Life is too hard not to, and the deck is often stacked against us. Together, can do amazing things. I noticed that the women involved with LimeLife were positive, uplifting, and seemed to value collaboration over competition. It was something I wanted to be a part of.
New Friendships. The older you get, the harder it is to find friends. I was struggling to connect with my friends on a regular basis due to everyone's busy lives. It seemed that the older we got, and the more obligations we all took on as wives, mothers, and employees, the harder it became to simply find an available friend to talk to or hang out with. I wanted to being to build some new relationships and get to know more women, and LimeLife seemed like the perfect way to do that.
I have been a part of LimeLife by Alcone for over a year now and my business continues to grow. I am happy with my decision and I haven't regretted it for one single second. If my story speaks to you, or if you're considering becoming a part of LimeLife or another direct sales company, I would love to talk to you and answer any questions that you have.
If you are ready to start your journey with LimeLife now, with me as your Mentor and Coach, you can go here and sign up.
Many blessings and much love to you all.
XOXO,
Erin
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