CHAPTER 2

Believe It to Achieve It

MORE THAN FIFTEEN MILLION AMERICANS, an average of one person in every ten households, are direct sellers. Five million of them choose to operate their businesses by party plan, and the overwhelming majority of party planners are women (98 percent, according to the Direct Selling Association).

The reason is simple: Women are born with every skill needed to succeed as self-employed entrepreneurs. Women have a natural ability to:

Share

Network

Nurture

Organize

Multitask

SHARING IS IN OUR DNA. Women are constantly talking, recommending, and swapping stories about the things we love. When we see a wonderful movie, read an amazing book, or discover a new recipe we immediately think, “My sister Frances would love this” or, “This would be perfect for my friend Kate.” We’re comfortable seeking the advice of friends and we trust their ideas, suggestions, and recommendations.

Even the most inexperienced salesperson knows that selling is not about facts, figures, and statistics. Selling is about sharing credible stories and testimonials so that others can benefit from our knowledge and experiences. As soon as we learn when it’s time to stop talking and start listening we shine in the communication department.

WOMEN INSTINCTIVELY NETWORK. There’s no training required when it comes to meeting others. We find it practically impossible to stand beside someone for a few minutes and not start talking. We can strike up conversations, even with strangers, in seconds. You will never hear a man saying to the person next in line, “I love your shoes!”

MENTORING COMES NATURALLY. Women are nurturers by nature, and that’s how a party plan business grows. We get what we want by helping others get what they want. Growing a party plan business is much like raising kids. Our prime responsibility as parents is to raise our children to become independent adults. It’s the same role we play in our party plan business when we mentor our consultants to become independent business owners.

WOMEN ARE BORN ORGANIZERS. You don’t need a degree in business management to run a business. I graduated from college, founded successful businesses, headed two party plan corporations, and served as president of two national associations. I’m sharing this with you for one reason. And that’s because I didn’t learn management skills in any of those roles. I learned them from organizing my life, my home, and my family. If you can run a home, raise a family, and organize your life, you are fully equipped to run a multimillion-dollar business.

MULTITASKING IS OUR GOD-GIVEN GIFT. We thrive on our superpowers. We can clean the house, plan a shopping trip, and care for our children all at the same time. We check our e-mail as we make calls, and plan the next day’s schedule as we prepare a meal. We do it by setting priorities and tackling what needs to be done. Building a party plan business involves juggling many balls—booking, coaching, presenting, ordering, servicing, prospecting, sponsoring, and mentoring. Women can do it all because we were created that way.

Women and business make a perfect match. The evidence is in the statistics: According to government sources, women own more than ten million privately held businesses in America, representing sales of over $2.3 trillion annually (see http://www.score.org/women_stats.html).

But the outlook for most small businesses is not entirely rosy. The failure rate is high, and lack of cash cripples most of them. The up-front capital needed to start a business is just the beginning of the expense. Businesses need ongoing cash flow to sustain them. Fixed overheads can topple a business when customer traffic is slow because of seasonal cycles or economic fluctuations. With the odds so heavily stacked against small businesses, all women should seriously consider how much risk they are prepared to take to own one.

That you won’t have to invest cash in your party plan business makes it a standout business choice. Why risk your own capital when there is a long line of party plan corporations only too eager to be your backer?

Isolation is a challenge that many small-business owners encounter. Going it alone can be tough. Women thrive on support, and many small businesses are solo operations.

I recently visited a day spa and started chatting to the vibrant young woman who owned it. She had always dreamed of having a business and had done everything she could to make it happen. It turned out that the one challenge she hadn’t factored in when she started her business was the loneliness. She had no business partners, no coworkers, and no support system. I couldn’t help but feel sorry that during her small-business search she hadn’t investigated party plan, where she would have had all the support she craved.

If neither cash nor support is an issue, what could possibly hold you back? If you’re a woman, you are most likely overestimating the challenge and underestimating yourself. Think about how we look at ourselves in a mirror: We get as close as we can so that we can scrutinize every imperfection. You have to move on from self-doubt and uncertainty to realize your true potential in life.

There is no “Reserved” sign on success in party plan. Especially when it comes to gender. The path has been well traveled by millions of women who have transformed their lives through their party plan businesses. Every one of them has lit the path that will guide you on your journey.

If you want it, and you’re prepared to work for it, you can have it.