If you run your own business, and especially if you're in the world of social selling, chances are you want to do it well. And you're always striving to do it better. 

Four years ago, I took a total leap of faith and started a social selling business. I'll be 100% honest with you and tell you I never saw myself doing direct sales - not because I had preconceived notions or prejudices toward the industry (I know some do). But, my background was in English and education. My master's degree is in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in journalism. 

I'd never taken a business class in my life. And the closest I ever got to being a salesperson was my first ever job at our local Martin's Supermarket where I was a cashier. Not a whole lot of sales technique needed there! 

So I jumped into this world not because I had a passion for sales but because I have an insane passion for storytelling, and I knew this was a way I could help tell stories from home while my kiddos napped. 

I honestly didn't have a clue what I was doing. I didn't know a thing about branding, marketing, analytics, or customer relations. NONE of that was in my wheelhouse. But I love learning, and I'm a good student, so I knew I could learn. I jumped into every call, webinar, training, and resource provided by our Home Office (and seriously, y'all, KEEP Collective is INSANELY GOOD with training and resources!). I watched what successful leaders in my company and the industry as a whole were doing, and I took bits and pieces that I could apply to my business. I started reading more books on professional and personal development and started reading a little less fiction. And I spent time figuring out who I was as a designer (or consultant or salesperson or representative or ambassador or whatever you're called in your company). Who was I, and what made me, me? 

And there are lots of nuggets of wisdom I could unload here. And I do - weekly - on my team's Facebook page - because when we all share those nuggets, we ALL benefit. I'm so damn lucky to do this among INCREDIBLE teammates and other designers who are always lifting each other up. 

But today, I'm sharing the biggest nugget with you. Because sharing is caring, y'all, and we're all in this together. 

The BEST piece of advice I can ever give you: Get consistent. 

I realize that probably sounds really simplistic, right? 

But consistency in your business solves SO FREAKING MANY PROBLEMS you might face. Let's break it down, okay? 

Posting on social media
Twenty years ago, the world of direct sales looked INSANELY different. Why? Because social media was just a baby (or in most cases, non-existent), and it has VASTLY changed how people share. We no longer call Aunt Agnes to tell her the latest things the kids are up to. Instead, we post our pictures and stories on Facebook and she sees it all there. We no longer have to rely on the postal service to get catalogs and information across the country. We just share a link, and poof, the information is there! 

So why does consistency matter on Social Media? Because you and your business aren't people's priority. While your best friends and family members may know what it is you do, the vast majority probably does NOT. It's important to let people know who you are and what you have to offer. 

Now, that DOESN'T mean you post 17 times a day about your business (or 17 times a day, period). But what it does mean is that you find your cadence and you commit to doing it. Maybe you share on your personal page when you have new products that launch, and you share more frequently in a group or on a business page where people make the choice to follow you. But find a rhythm that works for you and your type of business, and commit to doing it. 

Casual conversations with new people
For the first three or so years that I was designing at KEEP Collective, every single time someone asked me what I did, I'd say that I was a stay-at-home-mom. Which, true. BUT, I also work from home, and I freaking LOVE that I get the balance of both. So now when people ask what it is that I do, I tell them that I get to work from home with an incredible storytelling and jewelry business while raising my babes. It's the best of all the worlds and the perfect fit for our family. 

Sharing what you do is important, and so are those casual conversations. When you meet new people, don't be afraid to share what it is you do when it comes up! If they ask more about it, AWESOME. If they don't, that's awesome too. But keep talking about it - when applicable. 

Putting in the time 
Your business is flexible, but it's not optional. And we ALL have stuff going on. But if you're going to make your business thrive, you have to put in the time. You have to make it or find it. Getting up 20 minutes earlier. Setting aside an evening or two a week. Committing to 30 minutes on a weekend morning. Skipping an hour of Netflix here and there. It doesn't matter when or how, but the effort has to be there. And this really has to be what works best for YOU. For some people, it's really structured time the same days of the week. For others, it's fitting it in during the small crevices of the day (this is how I operate, but I know it doesn't work for everyone!). It doesn't matter how. It matters that you DO. 

There will be ebbs and flows - as in all things. And flexibility and adaptability are key. But consistency HAS to be a part of that. 

If you own your own business or are in social selling, I'd love to know, what's YOUR best piece of advice? What would you tell others? 

Flexible entrepreneurship: Choosing the right Direct Sales company for you

When I was teaching, I loved my work hours. I loved going in early (hello, I'm a morning person!), I loved getting home before 5 p.m. I loved having two weeks off at the holidays. And let's be honest, I loved having time off in the summers to recharge. 

But when I had our son, I knew that this schedule wasn't one I wanted while trying to spend time with H. Those early evenings after work were great... but they were often spent grading until my eyeballs fell out. Weekends too. And summers could easily be spent revamping lesson plans, attending professional development, and rearranging the classroom for hours or days. So that schedule wasn't ideal for my image of mom life for me. 

I really didn't intend to work while I was home, but when our son was five months old, I got the itch. I needed something that made me feel productive. I needed something that was just for me. 

I needed something flexible. Something I could do from home. Something that would add a little income but on my terms and my hours. And I wanted something I truly believed in. I'm not a saleswoman, and I didn't want to sell. I wanted to share something I loved with people I love. 

Find a company with a mission you believe in. 
When I set out looking for a company, I knew I wanted one that primarily focused on women. I was looking for a company that related to my passions: people, family, reading, writing, story telling, or working out. And I wanted something that I hadn't seen 100 other people selling. 

If you ever get the chance to hear Jessica Herrin speak, you need to listen. I don't care if she's reading you her grocery list. There's a chance she's throwing in nuggets of wisdom sandwiched between her spinach and her bread. Her mission - to help women design their one-of-a-kind lives - is maybe my favorite ever. KEEP was a no brainer for me. Find the company that's a no brainer for you! 

Make sure it's a product you love. 
I have mad love for all sorts of products. Peanut butter. Shoes. Carbs. Facebook. 

But I wouldn't go broke trying to keep up my supply of those things. The second I saw my company, I knew I kind of NEEDED it all. It took me a week to place my first order because I couldn't trim my list. And the more I learned about it, the bigger my list grew. Financially, it TOTALLY made sense for me to join! If you love the product, you'll never have to sell a day in your life. Choose something you love. 

Think about the initial investment (not just of money, but time and energy too). 
I've never sold a thing in my life. I majored in English. I spent ten years in the classroom. The thought of owning my own business?! That was a scary one. What if I couldn't sell anything? I was invested emotionally, but I was scared to invest a lot of money into something that I didn't even know if I could do. For me, it made sense to go with a company that didn't require a huge start up. On the flip side, I know a lot of people who liked having a larger investment in their company because they felt like it would push them to be more successful. Whether I spent $149 or $10,000, I knew I'd make a push to make it succeed. 

Decide how much you're willing to invest. And then stick to that. Direct sales companies range from a super low start up to thousands and thousands of dollars. Make the right choice for you based on finding a company you love. 

Take into account how much space you'll need for inventory. 
Ya'll. Let me tell you a story. For MONTHS now, I've been trying to find a place in our house to put a desk. We used to have an office. But then we had a baby. And our workout room became a work out room/office. Only, we can't fit two desks in there. Alas, our house is FULL, friends. 

So when I was starting a business, I knew I needed something that didn't take a ton of space. I couldn't devote an entire office to paper products and inventory. And futhermore, I really didn't want to be with a company that I had to hold inventory for! I liked the idea of customers receiving their products directly from the company. I chose a company where the space needed is nothing more than the top of my jewelry case and my inventory is my own personal collection - my inventory! I don't ever have to worry about having inventory for customers because the company does it for me (and super flipping fast, might I add!)! 

Know what resources are available through your home office. 
Knowing nothing about business prior to starting with KEEP, I wanted a company with a ton of support, not only from my mentor and upline, but from my home office too. I wanted a company that had written resources that I could access whenever I needed them (especially because I was up a lot to nurse at night and had time to look!). I knew I needed resources I could look at when I had the time to look - and I loved that they'd be there for me. 

Ultimately, pick a company where you see happiness. 
There are so, so many direct sales companies to pick from. But ultimately, you're going to want to be somewhere that makes you happy. Do your research. Ask other consultants about their experiences. But in the end, pick the place that makes you happiest. Happiness wins - every single time. And if you're happy, your business is going to thrive. 

Cheers to a year!: What I've learned in my first year of Direct Sales

One year ago this very day, I was a ball of nerves. I had a lot of questions, a lot of excitement, and a lot of fear. One year ago today, I was planning to join a Direct Sales company - something I really never saw myself doing -  I loved the products, and I loved my baby, and I loved my sanity, and I loved the idea of working at home. But, I need to back up a bit. 

In February of 2015, I gave birth to the most beautiful boy on the planet. Yes, I'm completely biased. I'd spent almost ten years as a high school English and Journalism teacher, and it's a GIANT understatement to say I loved my job. I loved having conversations with my students about writing and reading and life. I loved seeing the light bulbs go off when a concept suddenly made sense or a student remembered something we'd talked about previously. I loved the connections I made as a teacher - the connections I made with students, the connections students made to the material, the connections I had with my coworkers. I loved teaching. I still love teaching. 

But I held that sweet baby in my arms, and I just knew I wasn't ready to go back to teaching. I wasn't ready to go in early or stay late. I wasn't ready to bring home 110 research papers to grade. I wasn't ready to lesson plan into the wee hours of the night and morning. I wasn't ready to leave our son. And so my husband and I made the decision that I would stay home with our little man. And I felt very at peace with that. 

But when he was around five-months-old, I started to get the itch. I missed working. I missed accomplishing goals. I missed feeling productive. I missed talking to other human adults (or teenagers, or just people who could talk back to me). So, I started looking at my options. 

I'd been introduced to KEEP Collective just before our son was born. I went to an online Social my friend was having, and I fell in love with some of the pieces because they were a part of me. There was a mom Key (charm) that I knew I wanted to have. And there was a heart shaped padlock - part of how my husband proposed, and an integral part of our wedding - and once I saw that, I fell hook, line, and sinker for this collection. I'd always shied away from hostessing Direct Sales parties, but this line was too gorgeous and my wish list was too long, so about a week before I had our son, we had a Social (me, on my couch with my computer, one hand in the potato chip bag, one hand taking occasional bites of ice cream). I kept in touch with the fabulous designer from the party, bought a few more pieces over the following months, and never really considered being a designer...

...until I did consider it. I started to think about what I loved about teaching, and it was helping people tell their stories. And that's what KEEP does - it helps people show off what they love - whether that's something incredibly meaningful, something fun, or something really pretty. KEEP could help me still tell stories while allowing me to be at home with our boy! So I took a GIANT leap of faith and decided to do it! 

A year ago today, I had NO idea what to expect. I was a giant ball of nerves as I started to prepare for my business venture. I was worried about so much - epic, giant failure being at the top of the list. But I knew that if it I was going down, I would go down fighting because I believe so strongly in KEEP's mission - to give women the chance to design their one-of-a-kind lives through flexible entrepreneurship. Whether it failed or it flew, I would make the most of this business. 

And business... it soared! My friends and family were incredibly supportive (and integral!) in helping me to get my business off the ground! And through them, I've met the most amazing customers, many of whom I now call friends. Yep, that's right - running a business has brought me some AMAZING friendships. 

So here's the short list of what I've learned in my first year of doing Direct Sales. But truly, there's so, so much more. <3

1. Having the flexibility to work from home has changed my life. And I'm a better mom because of it. 

I'm not one to feed into the mommy wars of what's better for children. Whether you're a working mom, a stay-at-home-mom, or an in between mom, I firmly believe we're all doing the best we can. But I know that for me, being able to work from home has made me a better mom. I love being with my son. But I also really love working. And so having the chance to do both has made me more patient, more conscious of how I spend my time, and more invigorated with my life. And in turn, all of those things are passed on to my son. I'm truly living my best life because of this opportunity. And that makes me incredibly grateful. 

2. Direct Sales aren't bad. They're kind of awesome. 

There's been some negative press and posts lately about people who do Direct Sales. People think DS consultants are pushy. Or don't care about them. Or only want to sell a product. Or only want to talk about their products. That couldn't be further from the truth. While there are probably some bad apples of consultants out there, you'll find that in any field. The Direct Sales people I know are inspired. They love their products. They love what their products can do. And they want to share that others! And I kind of love it. Whether you're ever a customer of mine or not, I still love you... which leads me to my next point. 

3. Not everyone will love what you sell, and that's okay. 

Do I think KEEP rocks? Umm, yes. Do I think there's a piece out there that I can design to make every single person happy? Umm, yes. Does that mean every person is going to be as jazzed about these products as I am? Umm, no. And that's okay. I fully accept that some people don't like my product, just as I probably don't like things about their businesses. That's okay! It doesn't make me love someone less if they don't like what I sell. 

4. The relationships and friendships I've formed through this business sustain me in so many ways. 

I am so blessed to have built a team within KEEP, a team that inspires and motivates and encourages one another. I'm also so blessed to be on a larger team within KEEP - a community that supports, loves, and motivates one another. I've "met" amazing women through KEEP - and I say "met" because so many I've never even had the chance to meet face-to-face. But I've nurtured friendships and mentorships and met some of the most amazing soul sisters I've ever known. NONE of that would have happened without this company, and I pray that someday I get the chance to meet each and every one of these women so that I can give them real, in-person hugs! 

5. The pieces I design make me cry... in the very best way. 

It has been a privilege, and I mean that, to work on pieces with my customers. Whether they're wanting to represent being a sister, friend, daughter, mother, believer of God, yogi, or something else entirely, it's a joy to work with people to design things they love or things that mean something to them. 

There are so many stories that come to mind this year - a mom who fought infertility for years and finally had a rainbow baby to represent. Another mom who at 24 weeks pregnant, suffered from brain trauma, fell into a coma, delivered her son, and had to work her way back to doing, well, everything, again (mom is totally fine, and that sweet baby boy is NINE now!)! But the story that touches my heart the most is one I want to share with you. 

A former coworker of mine retired and moved to Florida, but she and I have remained in touch on Facebook. Tragically, her son was murdered in a robbery gone tragically wrong in Portland. Their family suffered an incredible loss, so when she reached out to me about a Keeper, I wanted to make sure we made the perfect one for her. The saying adopted by her son and his friends was Hug Life. All of her son's friends got tattoos, but mom wasn't quite ready for one yet, so instead, we put together a gorgeous Keeper that she can wear daily to keep her youngest son close at hand. 

That's why I love this "job." This is what makes me excited about what's to come in the future of this business. It's not just that I get to work from home. It's not just that I get flexible working hours. It's not just that I get a paycheck for doing this (and sometimes, I really can't believe I get paid to do it!). It's not even the amazing trips, incentives, or people. 

It's that there are so many stories to be told, and I get to help tell them. And I can only imagine what stories are to come in the future. Cheers to year one, cheers to all of you who helped make it such an incredible year, and a bigger cheers to all the years left to come with KEEP Collective!

Inconsistent blogging AKA there's not enough coffee

I was lamenting recently to my husband how much I miss blogging. I used to blog, like, a lot. Like a lot a lot, especially when I was training for my first half marathon (which, fun fact, was the original intent for this blog!). But since becoming a mom, priorities changed and shifted and the hours in the day somehow grew shorter. And blogging has largely taken a backseat. 

But I miss it. I miss coming up with original ideas and content and sharing it with all of you. I miss your feedback from the things we discuss. I miss all of the wonderful moments in life when something would happen, and I would immediately thing, I need to blog about this! 

Now, I mostly just think about how there's not enough coffee. Or time. Or energy. 

I've been reading Find Your Extraordinary: Dream Bigger, Live Happier, and Achieve Success on Your own Terms by KEEP Collective and Stella & Dot CEO Jessica Herrin. I was fortunate enough to hear Jessica speak when I went to our KEEP Director's Summit in January, and while I already respected her and her mission before that session, I think I fell in love with her a little bit during and afterward! She just - gets it! And it's incredibly refreshing to work with a CEO who encourages you to work your business your way. While this book is incredible for anyone in direct sales, I think there are SO many bigger life lessons here to takeaway... and I'll share one with you now. 

Jessica (look at me, acting all like I'm on a first name basis with her!) spends a lot of time talking about, well, time. How there are simply aren't enough hours in the day to "do it all" with any shred of sanity left intact. And therefore, you have to prioritize. This, perhaps, isn't a novel concept, but her following bit of advice is - you have to get real with yourself about what you will and won't make the time for. It's not that you don't have time - it's that you're CHOOSING to do something else. So, when I tell myself I don't have time to blog, that's not really the case. It's that I've instead made the choice to do something else. Like spend time with my son and husband. Or work on my business. Or sit on the couch and binge watch something on Netflix. Those are choices I make - bad or good - that keep me away from doing other things - some of which I love. 

Seriously, read this book. It's so, so inspiring, and I feel so incredibly blessed that I get to see Jessica again NEXT WEEK at KEEP Hoopla, our annual convention!!! 

So, this is me making a dedicated effort to get back to blogging more. 

With or without the extra coffee.