Here’s to 8 Years!

Eight Years!

Happy Anniversary to me, to PawTree, to the home office staff, and to a few others who have been with me from the beginning. It’s hard to put into words what these eight years have meant to me. Those first few phone calls, those first failures, the overall anxiety of “what will people think of me!”, the desire for change but feeling so far away from success…. It’s been a long time since, but it still feels fresh.

I think back to the many experiences and lessons this business has taught me. I have many I remember with fondness and some I cringe when I think about.

When I started, I had little belief in myself. I didn’t know or understand the products, and I lacked belief that these really worked. I knew people that had had success in the network marketing/MLM industry, but my belief in the industry was still low. I started this business with belief in only one thing: our founder & CEO. It was him I put all my trust in. I knew without a doubt that his company would succeed with, or without me. I desperately wanted it to succeed with me! So I did what I had to do to establish belief in myself, belief in our products, and belief in the industry.

And you know what? It grew.

It didn’t grow overnight, but it grew.

Now, I’m taking this time to reflect back on my eight years with joy, nostalgia, and an unwavering determination to help others do the same.

Here are the top 5 things this business has done to change me:

1. It gave me hope. I was stuck before. I had a career I enjoyed but I couldn’t make more money from it unless I worked more hours. I didn’t want to sacrifice my time as a wife/mom to do more work. Suddenly, I had the vision of uncapped potential. Unlimited income.

2. It stretched me. I was out of my comfort zone nearly every day. Each call I made, each person I talked to about the products or the business, every time I did a product or business meeting– it was uncomfortable, to say the least. It wasn’t in my nature to talk to everyone and help them through their sales journey. I had to learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. The beautiful thing is that I gained confidence from it. I began to believe in myself, and in my leadership abilities. It has been liberating!

3. It made me visible. I spent most of my life hiding, sliding by and doing all that I could to slip in and out unnoticed. I did exactly what was expected of me in school to avoid the public eye. In this business, I was so desperate for change, desperate to reach that next level, next rank, next customer, next bonus… that I did what was asked of me every single day. Because of my actions, I was recognized for several awards. I was leading in the company sales, company sponsoring, team sales. I was given awards and recognition at our company launch party for things I didn’t see as accomplishments– I was just doing what was asked of me like I always did. But for the first time that I recall, I was being recognized for my efforts and it felt so empowering!

4. It’s given me irreplaceable experiences. I have traveled more in these eight years than in my previous 34 years combined. I have been all over the world. I’ve been to amazing beaches, historical sites, landmarks, stadiums, scenic viewpoints, restaurants, venues, incredible hotels, and historic “haunted” hotels. I’ve done everything from toasts and team building exercises, to skiing, camel riding on the beach, whale watching, sunset cruises… I can go on and on. All because of I was willing to get into action, follow the leader, and never, ever give up.

5. I don’t worry about money. I spent what feels like my entire life worrying about money and how we’d cover our bills. I don’t worry anymore. It’s been several years since I’ve worried. We are making more money now than I ever dreamed possible before I joined. It’s given us choices. It’s given me security. It’s given me savings. And it’s given me the ability to say YES to things I’ve never experienced before. It’s given me vision for the future, and I continue to dream about the future because I now know anything is possible!

There are far more than 5; believe me, I could go on and on. But for now I’ll leave this here. This business may or may not be for you, and that’s ok! Truly! Just try to consider a different life for yourself if you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, tapped out, and alone. There is something out there that can change your life too, I promise you that! Just be bold and go find it!