On Becoming a Mom Boss

March is the time I always think about my start in business as a Mom Boss, it was 19 years ago this month that I signed on to become a Consultant in a Direct Sales company, I purchased my kit at the end of the month, and chartered waters that were so new to me. Almost 2 decades later it was the best business decision I have made, while I joined my current company 6 years ago this month, I am grateful to have the experience from both companies, and in this post I want to outline the challenges and benefits along the way. My intention is to inspire you to step outside of your comfort zone, be willing to feel & fail—feel vulnerable and fail enough to get back up and keep going—obstacles are a big part of success. Be brave enough to dare, be brave enough to make your stomach squirm and be brave enough to be different from those around you!

This is a story of both courage and fear, and how the decisions we make and the brave action of stepping outside our comfort zone can truly impact our lives in ways we never expected. I have had the good fortune of being with 2 great companies in this industry, I have also had the good fortune of success in each company, the latter of which did not come from everything working out and feeling confident, it actually came from the vulnerability of putting myself out there, taking risks, experiencing fear, having self doubt, putting tons of sweat into it, with hopes and a dream, when things were not proven and there was no guarantee. I chose to jump in, to never give up, to feel awkward and at times a lump in my throat…. I cleared that lump in my throat to speak confidently about my companies, about my business and about the smart decision of being a Mom Boss, I went from embarrassed to empowered, and eventually from follower to leader-all because I worked hard, never gave up and believed in more!

Let me take you back to March of 2002, I was 34 years old, a mom of 2 with my 3rd baby was due in a few months (3 kids under the age of 3). I was desperate to find a job that would support my family, I wanted to make a great income, have flexibility and as I searched on line for a job, it just did not exist. I wanted to balance motherhood with having something I could be passionate about, make a difference and I missed making an income, I wanted to create more.

I was invited to a neighbor’s Direct Sales business launch, and I left with an interest in being my own boss—and a dream that ‘maybe' I could do this from home! While I was excited about what I read on the website, let me share my fears with you…. I was not a person that liked home (business) parties, in fact, I did not like the idea of anyone selling to me or “pressuring” me to buy— I avoided these parties as much as I could, and I was never one to host—it all made me feel uncomfortable. Also, I did not want to be that annoying mom in the grocery store that people would avoid because they were afraid I would try to sell them something. Even more, some of these companies were so cheesy, I did not want to be associated in any way with something like that, the thought made my stomach turn, and I did not trust all the people I met with initially (my skepticism), because honestly, I was afraid they were trying to take advantage of me. Truth: I was beyond skeptical, but thankfully I was curious too, I was willing to learn and fortunately my desire to have a business from home was strong enough for me to move forward. So once I decided to jump in, I did not have much support. My husband was against it, “Pammy, you’re going to sell to family and friends”, my Mom said “Oh Pamela, not one of those businesses, shouldn’t you just get a real job”. Some friends were like...skin care, are you going to have to touch people’s faces? Everyone was well meaning and trying to protect me, but fear, doubt and negativity (resistance) were the directive, not hope, opportunity and belief, which fortunately prevailed. For my first few years in business, I really put myself out there and way out of my comfort zone, not many were doing a business like this, and I heard a lot of no’s, I listened to some caddy moms snicker about my business and yes, every home party had the asshole drunk mom that would try and put me down in a passive aggressive way, I just kept going, and would not let any of the nay sayers stop me, even when I had come home in tears on a few occasions. However, in my business I learned a lot about mindset, and I learned to direct my attention from the nay sayers (and my own negative thoughts) to my dreams, my desires, my vision. By year 3 I had promoted to the top of my company, and also was making a great 6 figure income. My confidence in the industry, business and myself exploded, I had found my place in leadership, speaking, inspiring and growing, this became the perfect career for me as a Mom—it was similar to what I did in my corporate career yet was more entrepreneurial & no glass ceiling. Our income grew exponentially, and I was able to see how having a vision, goals and dreams can help us evolve out of fear, negativity, self doubt, criticism and objections. I had built a dynamic team, developed leaders & created partnerships which fostered positive growth, empowerment and a big vision. I also found my desire to speak, inspire and empower women, which I discovered as my life’s purpose—and was able to build my Living HIPP brand along side my DS business.

Six years ago, I made a bold move to leave my former company and start out again as a consultant with my current company—leaving a successful business behind to start over again felt like jumping off of a cliff. While I was excited, it was It a risk, I also faced the fears, doubts and criticism of others— once again, people show you who they are, it further inspires to encourage women to empower each other, we are more powerful when we stand up and speak up for each other. Today, I see so many lives have changed from this one decision, I knew in my heart that would happen, but getting here has not been easy, and has not been without feeling vulnerable and judged at times. I have met some incredible women in this journey, and that lifts my spirit like nothing else. I have learned to be grace under fire, and while that is not easy, it is important. My advice that I give to so many (after having had to give it to myself) is “go where the love is” which means, surround yourself with people that appreciate you, and build you up. It is a mantra to live by and I reference it for myself and others all the time.

Growing up Mom Boss…. Almost 2 decades later, those babies are college age, and I look back at my career of these past 19 years as the perfect fit for me as a Mom. Admittedly, I don’t think I am a great sales person, I have learned to just talk about what I love. I love this business, I love how it supports women to do this along side being a mom or other interests. I love that it is a platform to build and create a life and lifestyle that you love. I love to see leaders develop, not by selling a lot or meeting numbers (it is so much more than that to me). I love to see them become confident, to use their voice, to develop their skills, to grow personally and to thrive (which often means thriving through the challenges and adversity of being a mom boss). So you can see, it is not all pretty, some of it is pretty darn hard. I think work/life balance is the biggest challenge for all Mom Bosses, and that is something I was challenged with too. I learned to create systems and support, and I coach so many women to do the same. Being a Mom Boss takes courage, you’ve got to be vulnerable, you’ve got to be crazy enough not to worry about what others think and you’ve got to be willing to fail, to fall down, and to get back up.

I don’t know what the next decade holds, but what I do know for sure, is that I love coaching other Moms on how to use a business to leverage living your best life! I am so grateful for these opportunities, and I want so many Moms to know they have choices, and why not have a business that supports you and your family as you grow in to a better version of yourself! Oh, and my husband who was against this, well he went from skeptic to all sorts of “way to go Pammy” over the years. The other night as we talked about business, he shared that my business takes the stress off of the two college tuitions and those payments. While it started out as making extra money, it has help put our kids through college. I feel beyond grateful I did not quit years ago all those times I wanted to! So, if you get uncomfortable remember this: focus on your vision, dreams and goal (not your fears or someone elses opinion), and no matter what, create the life you want, don’t follow the crowd, blaze your trail! XO