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It is still overwhelming to me that I have a home-based business which has allowed me to be my own boss, earn what I'm worth, and enjoy the time and financial freedom that comes with being an entrepreneur. What is amazing is that I would have never imagined myself in this role because of my background. Let me share a bit of my history with you.
I have lived in Nashville, Tennessee all of my life. At age 15 I was working in my mother's diner after school, on the weekend and during summer vacation. It wasn't exactly what I wanted to be doing as a teenager back then but now I am so grateful for the foundation this created for my hard work ethics. Straight from high school, I went to work as a clerk typist for an insurance company. Twenty-eight years later in 1998, I left my last job in corporate America as an Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer of a national non-profit organization.
In 1994 a good friend of mine approached me about joining her in a company that offered telecommunication products and services. Initially, I was very reluctant because I always said a prayer that went like this... "Lord, please don't let me have to make my living by selling because I'll starve to death!" I was very serious, too.
However, my friend's timing was perfect because my husband and I had just learned that the part we paid toward our daughter's college tuition was doubling from $300 to $600. Neither of us wanted to get a part-time job. I realized that I could start a home-based business, work it part-time, earn the extra income we needed, and take advantage of the great tax benefits available for self-employed people.
In 1994 when I started my first home-based business, I had no idea that four years later in 1998 I would be able to leave my full-time job behind and work strictly from the comfort of my home. What a blessing this became when my mother became ill in 2001! I did not have to ask permission from a supervisor or boss when I wanted to be with her. I cannot begin to tell you what this meant to me. When Mom passed away on December 13, 2003, I had no regrets or guilt from not having spent as much time as I wanted or needed with her.
In September, 2004, we became distributors with Scent-Sations, Inc. Very good friends of ours in Canada (John and Lise Mac Fadden) had become distributors in April of that year. When they first told me about it, I really wasn't interested because of two reasons. One, I had my other home-based business; and, secondly, I did not burn candles! I had quit burning candles a long time ago because it did not make sense to me to burn something that was producing toxic soot on every jar or candle holder I would buy. Not only was it very unattractive, I knew it was not healthy.
When John introduced us to the product, it was our company's "Hot Apple Pie" 16 oz. jar. At the popping off of the lid, my husband, Charlie, replied...."Okay, where's the vanilla ice cream?" The scent was 100% on the money. But the very best part was learning that the candle was made from all-natural ingredients and was 98% soot-free!
We bought six candles from John that night, signed up to be a Candle of the Month member, and two weeks later, we bought the Fast Start Pack which includes a sample of every scent offered by Scent-Sations. We have not looked back since then. We are building a very large and successful team across the United States and in Canada. The most incredible thing about this is that we are not doing it alone. We have certain individuals in our group that are very ambitious and because of their efforts, we are all benefitting.
My husband, Charlie, has become totally engaged in our business, too. He has worked for a large church for the past 14 years. Many days he has come home after work and placed a candle order on my desk! There are many creative ways to market our product, and he has become known in our company as someone who does just that. He will be retiring this year to join me full-time in our business.
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