Nine months after my crafting business was shut down indefinitely, due to covid-19 and restrictions in my county to prevent spread, I finally decided to pursue something else to help me pass the time as I endure another winter stuck at home. I looked into a bunch of companies to partner with. I spent years avoiding direct sales because I had a pretty terrible experience working with a now-bankrupt company that had ethically questionable practices, and training that was geared toward a very different type of person than I am. I detest hype and fear-of-loss tactics used in sales and marketing, and never want to be the type of person that is always thinking about how to make the next sale. Unfortunately, many of these companies promote a culture where you have to think like that, or you get berated and shamed. There was also something that felt so yucky about trying to convince people they needed to look at my video or information, without being willing to disclose any information about the company. Like, what?! I hate being manipulated like that. If I tell you I prefer to read to learn about something, and you tell me you won't give me any info unless I take 20 minutes to watch your video, I'm already SUPER turned-off to whatever you want to share. But that's what we were trained to do to people. I'm SORRY to anyone I bulldozed like that! So, I've been avoiding network marketing for years.. all too aware of reasons it didn't work for me in that company. When I began looking for something to do now that it's clear my craft business may not open again for a while, I remembered how much I loved the party-plan concept in direct sales. I was successful in a few home party companies before my body got really debilitated, but the physical demands of hauling inventory in and out of my home, care, and my hosts' homes became impossible to do reliably. Now, there's Virtual Parties! This changes everything for me. Being able to work from home creates an enormous amount of accessibility for me, so not even having to leave home for the business events is a life-saver! Not only can I stay home, and not put the physical strain on my body to do an event, but I can automate much of the party posts, so that it doesn't take up a ton of time weekly, and I can focus on engaging with guests. When I looked up Pampered Chef, one of the most reputable companies in the industry, I realized how perfect this fits into my life! And unlike that other company, I'm proud to tell people what I represent. It feels like a service, helping people find solutions and create more joy in the kitchen. And it turns out, everyone loves Pampered Chef!! Ever since the quarantine began last March, grocery stores have made online shopping more accessible, so I've been able to start cooking. I've also enjoyed some home delivery meal kits to teach me new techniques and make meal planning easy. I've been making fresh meals almost every night, which has never been a part of my life. My Mom worked in food service during my childhood, and my Dad worked doing heavy labor, so rather than cooking when they got home, we often relied on fast food and take out. I never learned to utilize fresh ingredients. Now that I am working in the kitchen, I'm loving it! It's the greatest feeling to be able to put delicious, homemade food on the table! I'm still working on getting online yoga classes going, and looking forward to building the Bindu Bus this Summer, and now I'm also really excited to be working on this. The business works because of Party Hosts. Hosts commit to a date, invite their friends to an online group, and show up to make a few posts and thank their friends for gathering. It's really simple and a wonderful chance to see the faces of everyone you know! Guests will learn recipes, play games, and have chances to win prizes! When your guests order and your party total reaches $200 or more, you earn Party Rewards!! If there's something you've been wanting in your kitchen (can anyone say AIR FRYER!), let's talk about how you can earn it for FREE! Learn more about hosting here: www.pamperedchef.com/pws/sabrinabodden/pws-host-a-party Interested in starting your own Pampered Chef business? You can join in January for only $20.01! Learn more here: www.pamperedchef.com/pws/sabrinabodden/be-a-consultant-nf Follow my Pampered Chef page on Instagram & Facebook <3 To shop, visit facebook or instagram and click the link to connect to a current party :D
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I had to come give a huge shout out to my friends and sponsors and supporters, Fei & Coral, owners of Prairie Paws Dog Daycare, Boarding & Pet Spa! When I was struggling to afford storage for the bus last winter, Fei & Coral offered a space in their parking lot. We thought it would only be 3-4 months, but with covid, plans changed, and it's been parked there for 8+ months! In total, they've saved me over $2000! Without their help, I may not have been able to keep the bus, and would have had to give up on this dream. They have been so incredibly supportive throughout this journey. I hope the next time you need any non-medical care for your pet, you'll check them out!! www.prairiepawz.weebly.comOne of the most important lessons I've learned in life is "You can do anything, but not everything."
I have a huge inventory of bracelets, aroma rollers, magnets and buttons, but since covid-19 caused the farmers' market on the square to move and no longer support local makers, I haven't been able to setup and sell this year. While I'd love to just move the business online, I've learned over 5 years of trying that online sales of these handmade, customized products isn't feasible or sustainable for me to focus my energy on. I am still aching to create! And I keep getting requests from customers to put my designs online. So... I've been working on designing clothing. There's nothing like the joy I get when I meet people who are excited to wear the bracelets I've made. Now I wanna see y'all in clothes I designed! :) The nice part about this is I have a whole company working for me to print and fulfill these orders, so I can focus on the creative side of things, where I thrive and shine my best. I'll work on creating new fun and meaningful designs, so you can see some new stuff every month! SHOP NOW to see what products are available this month! Want to collaborate? Email [email protected] with the subject line "I WANT TO REP YOUR BRAND", and tell me three reasons you want to be a 3Pyogi! Ambassadors get a discount code to share with friends and will be feature on Instagram! It has been a very interesting year! My appreciation and deep respect goes out to frontline healthcare workers and all those who have kept our grocery stores open and stocked and clean. My heart and love goes out to all essential workers, and workers who have had to go back to work to keep their companies going. My compassion and spirit are with other business owners who have struggled or lost their businesses, and my thanks goes out to the businesses that put people over profits / survival of workers over the survival of their business. It's times like these that the yogic principles of non-attachment, acceptance, surrender, and letting go become so useful. We are given an opportunity to be open to what life brings, and to keep rising and thriving again. In my yoga classes, I like to half-joke, "aren't we lucky!?" whenever a disturbance or annoyance or challenge comes along... for without these challenges and unexpected changes, how do we reveal the strong, remarkable people we are underneath all of our worry and stories of how life has to be. What Lies Ahead Usually, this time of year, I'd be busy making inventory and setting up weekly at the downtown farmers' market, but since the coronavirus hit our state, and since state and county orders (and good sense and responsibility to others) have mandated that large events do not take place for the time being, my business is shut down. Last year, I took almost every single penny I earned (and received in donations, thank you all!!!) and put it back into the business to create more inventory for this year, and to invest in the mobile store and craft shop I've been working on for years. Last year I was able to grow the business significantly, which made these investments seem like a good idea at the time. Now, I have thousands of dollars worth of beads, finished jewelry, buttons, magnets, and aromatherapy products sitting in my office, and a bus with no clear purpose in sight (it could be years before festivals and large shopping events happen again). I'd love to be good at fulfilling online orders, and I'd love for there to be enough demand online for bracelets that I could justify the work it takes to maintain an online presence, but I've learned that is not a smart or worthwhile path for me and the products I currently make. I'm not sure when I'll be back selling my goodies. I'm also not sure when I'll be back teaching yoga, but I'm working on creating a youtube channel to share some yoga stuff. I'm meditating a lot, enjoying the first summer I can remember that I have some free time, and hoping to connect with y'all again soon. May you experience peace, power & possibility in every day. |
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