Updating Location

Much of my marketing these days is through social media.  So I tend to add a byline that indicates the opportunity to work with me is limited to the USA and her territories at this time.  Yet, time and time again I receive friend requests, comments, and even messages from people inbthe Phillipines.   I pray for those devastated by recent storms.  However, my experience has been riddled by scams or indications of such by online "marketers" of these areas.  Thus, I avoid connecting with most international people.

Then it hits me...I am one.  Could people look at my personal page and think they same!?  Can your location affect reaching a successful destination?  I am about to find out if the tides shift to the even better by updating my pages to home...Ohio where my family is and Georgia where our house and my in-laws reside.  Let's see how this work!

Finding Your Way on a Broken Road

At times we can become so consumed by our struggles, our circumstances, our emotions, and even our surroundings that the lonliness sets in and it feels as if you have no one to support you, that the task is left to your own, and any step if one determined by yourself.  I understand this.  When I moved with my family the month's that followed became riddled with unreturned calls and texts.  My friends, clients, and team had left me.  Each impacting me in such magnitude I couldn't take a step.  My "leadership coach" was careless and faulty in his guidance.  He did not feel my loss.  My upline leader only cared for the minutes of our call and a progressive email IF I made an appointment with her assistant. 
Yet my loss is mine.  I wished and hoped and hoped and prayed for better results, for a better path- an easier, straighter one- but as always I am reminded that the easy way lessens the success as well.  It reminds us that it is up to each of us to define our course of action and not be swallowed up by our problems.  The path has curves, steepness, and it's breaking off at the edges and filled with potholes in the middle.

To thine self be true.  Are you in it for you?

God Bless the Broken Road that led me straight to you.

So Many Ways to Connect

It never quite struck me how many opportunities we have to engage online.  Until recently, that is, when I no longer subscribed to an internet bill (or cable, water, trash, satellite...any others I can live without).

When tapping into free wifi or using tethering, your online time becomes much more organized and mindful about where you need to go and what you need to do in the short amount of time it is available to you.

That is when the realization of the numerous places I have covered in marketing my business.  Previously, I had the notion from a trainer I no longer recall, that the more places you are, the better and farther your reach.  However, in a very short time, all I have known about marketing has changed- improved actually in my humble opinion- to become what it always should have been: relationships, engagement, connections. 

Let's see if I can list them all and you let me know how many you are listed in, too!

Of course, here to start: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=492132345492491137#allposts

https://www.facebook.com/31gotogirl
https://www.facebook.com/BFFCharmed
https://www.facebook.com/AngelaMMorris

https://twitter.com/31gotogirl

http://www.pinterest.com/31gotogirl/

https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=21802808&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile_pic

At one time, I was on merchantcircle.com, but I will have to update that.

I suppose there are more than I am even remembering!  How's myspace these days?

Simply Charmed Gifts by Angela Morris, Independent Founding Consultant

•  I would like to tell you about my new venture, Simply Charmed Gifts.

  
  SCG is brand new, having only debuted in September, though I have been working with them since May. I was fortunate to meet the CEO in July and have been promoting this unique jewelry line and founding-a-company-opportunity since because her mission and mine were very similar- to inspire, to empower, to motivate, to demonstrate, and to transform the lives of women who seek such. We weren't selling the necklaces yet, but I have been assisting in marketing, creating materials, and developing my first leadership team. You may have seen a few posts about Simply Charmed Gifts on my page or the first facebook party invite two weeks ago. Last week, I learned the first consultant to join in September, 7 weeks before me because of a waiting list, became the first Senior Consultant in the company. She is my team leader, so I have an excellent example to follow. Another consultant, surprising to me, a man in a woman dominated company, celebrated the highest party sale last night with an $1007 order. The first ever! These are amazing accomplishments, which further motivates me to be and share the first among firsts! Will you help me raise the bar? The CEO and I had a conversation last week as well that she felt I am the one who will be next, be on the top, and stay on the top! She offered to begin coaching me! This is another huge blessing and opportunity. Demonstrating my worthiness continues to be a crucial internal push. I faithfully believe God has led me to this opportunity with Simply Charmed Gifts as the chance to move into a position to lead, empower, inspire, and assist other women to pursue the quality and quantity of life they seek as well as connect with other empowering women!
  
  All that said, I am not a follower and I am uncomfortable being second. Flaw or motivation? What do you think? I feel uncomfortable just writing all this (which I first wrote to my sister) because it is a lot to say (and who likes to read a blogged novel); I am putting myself out there to be even more transparent about my own aspirations (and can be held even more accountable to them); and to ask you to help me. First and foremost, I am looking for a renewed connection with you (ladies, we have to help each other in order to have a stronger network), yet we all are resources in different ways, and I appreciate the buyer, the hostess, the new team mate, and the feedback...whatever you are willing to offer another woman, a sister, a friend!
  
  You can see some of the information I have posted on my business page at https://www.facebook.com/BFFCharmed that displays the jewelry and how to use it, along with a special offer to receive the round pendant at a discounted price.
  I am writing you today in hopes you will find this just as exciting as I do and be part of the first order I enter, become my first online/catalog party hostess, or be among the first team mates and founding members of Simply Charmed Gifts!
  
  I welcome any thoughts you have about my  Simply Charmed Gifts business!
  
  THANK YOU so much for listening, for your support, for your business, and for connecting with me!
  
  Many Blessings, Angela

Oh Lucky Day

March 17th, 2013...almost exactly 8 months ago felt like the luckiest day ever!  My husband and I have always shared the connection of sun-seekers, heat-seekers, beach-seekers, and ocean-lovers.  Imagine our JOY in making a permanent move to the Caribbean where the air is salty, the water is clear, and the waves are minimal.  Our daughter's inner vision of becoming a mermaid only made stronger by the time in the water and on the sand.  She is my most precious marvel and basques in the delight others find in watching her from the shoreline in her snorkeling flippers, diving in with wonder, and using her small and well toned tan body to kick her feet and arms as if they truly were fins!

Our move was thought to be permanent and the excitement of the opportunity in front of us for our life goals and my business seemed boundless.  Instantly, I became the Virgin Islands Go-To-Girl and pictured myself a year from now with the island covered in thirty-one products with the feeling of knowing "I did this" and was able to spread the mission and empower other women to the Proverbs 31 cause.

Instead, it has been 8 months of struggle, difficulty, reaching out, looking in, and putting a lot of "fake it until you make it" into my chance with a culture I cannot comprehend.  Business people have scowled at me with "You're not local, are you?"  My response was "Yes!  I live here," joyfully expecting embrace for not being "off-island."  That was met with time and time again with a scoff...the meaning and understanding of which was misinterpreted not because of my fresh-face but because what has now been explained to me as the "face of a stranger."  If it needs classification, I am of Italian descent with dark tan skin and dark hair...however, not quite dark enough to ever be considered "local" it seems.  Surely not everyone feels this way, but I only know that I do not wish to and I do not wish to be anything less than welcoming to anyone anywhere.  However, these bias exists and some find it socially appropriate to act on them, irregardless of how naive they are about their target.  It puts a lot of weight on one's soul.

I have sought the assistance in business from leaders above me, coaches in the company, in requesting a liaison for the territories, and even in other consultants to no avail.  I feel discarded, unwanted, uncared for, and abused.  A point exists when that "oh lucky day" becomes the change in your entire direction of wants, needs, wishes, goals, and resourcefulness.

For many years, I have been the solicited advice-giver, the instructor, the mentor, the marketing goddess among my circle, and the word-of-mouth provider...FREEly.  Some of even my closest friends have been the takers and glory mongers from my generosity.  Still, I do not wish to be less of a generous Leo, as nature will always prevail.  Yet, that moment arises and I realized "I am not a follower."  Even as a leader I have been a follower and afforded attention, connections, opportunities, and more to those who unwisely do not appreciate nor engage in return. 

I am not a follower.

I am not a follower.

I am not a follower.

What do you do When Your Adventure Becomes an Ordeal

I feel the need to lead in that I am generally an empowering, positive individual.  I believe I am a good person and I strive to be more of a Godly person everyday.

I have to keep in mind that my general "attitude of gratitude" keeps me focused and THAT is what I emanate from my core interactions with others.  One of the maintenance guys for our apartment property said he knew I was an "angel" and thankful for their work without saying it because "he knew that's is how I am."  What an amazing blessing and needed recognition that left me speechless.

Over and over again I have punished myself for what must I be doing wrong to gather the interactions I have among some, not all, locals in St. Thomas.  I am blessed to meet some amazing families through the St. Thomas Reformed Church here.  However, even that community heeds warnings that this island has changed for the worse over the years and issues precaution in venturing out, especially at night, into the exact areas tourists flock during the day.

The impact of the struggles we have here, the verbal altercations, the lack of courtesy when so much of it is demanded were beyond the hardship we expected when moving so far from home.  I cannot comprehend it.  I cannot avoid it.  I do not welcome it.  I want to protect my family and friends from it.

That in and of itself is what I might most frightening.  When I start my emotional distress from the verbal and attempted physical assaults I do not find solace.  The stories of other women in my life in St. Thomas are reflections of my own experiences.  We do not have the independence here we enjoy in the states.  Yes, crime happens everywhere, but as my husband pointed out moments ago, in the 12 plus years we have been together he has never seen or heard me so upset and dealing with so many problems that I cannot go out alone.  Our quality time is compromised as venturing out for groceries or to do laundry alone seems to incite the numerous people loitering and sometimes even shopping that they have found a target for their proposed inequities.

So what do you do when that core strength you have to lead a life of adventure, celebrating the moment, defying others wishes for what is your own decisions, become an ordeal.  I do not want to think, react, or be this way...leading a clandestine life recluse by my own desires and decisions. I do not want anyone to ever feel I am less than gracious for their presences, their connection, their engagement, their friendship and love.  So how do you find your way back to that sense of adventure when it has become what is lacking in definition, an ordeal?

Two Questions to Make You Money

I recently had the joy of a lunch date with one of my newest team mates.  The date had a bit of reluctance to it as it was not somewhere I wanted to eat, but also all our previous gatherings generally ended up with the dispelling of advice that seemingly was never followed.   With this particular team mate I had begun some tough love pushing her to stop borrowing from me and instead start creating her own materials.  Please do not misinterpret my intentions.  I very much want to assist and support her success but doing for her was not helping her grow.  This woman is amazingly business minded, too, and organizes her ideas by writing them all down.  So, I was reluctant to attend another lunch with her because I felt a failure in getting her to act on her ideas.  But an amazing thought came during our discussion that day and I formed two questions for her to be able to tackle her marvelous compelling ideas without being so overwhelmed by them and the cost of doing business using those ideas.   Bottomline: Make money, don't spend it.  Mission: Make more money than you spend.  She has some struggles she shared with me that made it even more evident to me how necessary it was to make money and stop the spending.  We may want the newest and prettiest but if it is going to slow us from reaching our true goal, what's the point when you can make do, or even make equisite, with what you have!  If you want to make money, apply these two questions to everything: purchases, posts, conversations, afflications, decisions... #1 Does it help my budget?  #2 Does it help my business?  For example, if you are just becoming a consultant, you do not need the shinest business card to convey what you do (no need to spend more money).  The free ones in matte print will do just fine, as will your own clear God given voice and handwriting.  That pretty paper on the artsy site can be printed yourself or not at all.  Let your business and products speak for themselves without being dressed up.  People do not remember or keep the wrapping paper...they keep what's inside and they treasure you forever for the thought.

Important Reminder when Becoming a Consultant

About once a month I schedule a call with my upline leadership.  Sometimes I do not really have much to say but want to touchbase and not be forgotten.  Yesterday was my monthly call.  This time I had some serious issues pressing on me and I knew she would be the resource in helping resolve some of them.  This is a very important tool when becoming a consultant.  Know your resources abd maje the effort to reach out to them. Yes, you call/text/email/message them.  How YOU choose to communicate will be matched, so choose wisely (I recommend calling and always leavr a voicemail).  You are not alone in your direct sales business but I have seen plenty of consultants create a lonely environment for themselves.  Reach out to your sponsor, your team mates, your upline, your central office.  They are wasted resources if you do not use them. It is up to you.  If you do not know how to use them, just ask them how. 

31 Thirty-One 31 Everywhere

I just wrapped up a coaching call with a woman on my thirtyone team heading fir leadership.  I love these calls!  Among many other things they remind me what I have learned and how the signs are very clear around us.  If I have an off day, God reminds me that I am on the right path with His connections.   When I talk with someone expressing an interest in becoming a consultant and she expresses a little hesitation I tell her three things.  #1 Pray about it.  #2 Talk to all your support network about it (and expect some not think it is a good idea- but talk it through to help you understand what you want mire clearly).  #3 Watch for the signs.  It seems when you are destined for something great the signs will be there if you pay attention to it.  You will see the number 31.  It will be on road signs, receipts, paperwork, just everywhere you encounter in your daily routine.  Suddenly you will see it everywhere as if the whole town is carrying a thirty-one bag.  It will be obvious, noticeable, and seemingly mundane.  You will know, if you didn't already, that you and thirty-one are meant for greatness together.

First Party in a New Place

We moved to the usvi on March 17.  I rolled into the airport with my thirty-one rolling tote, party pack, cinch sacs, retro metro tote, and out and about bag BRANDED to take over an island.  In reality it took nearly six months to get noticed and foster new relationships that would kick start my business in the area.  Yesterday, September 22, 2013, was the first home party with an awesome hostess and new friend.  Six months after arriving.  Six months.  Has it really been six months?  Whatever your expectations when moving your business, throw them out the window.  Expect nothing.  Everything you think you know about a market- you don't.   It will take more flexibility, brainstorming, and perserverance than you can imagine.  Six months is nothing when you are resetting your business...it may take two years.  So many moments of depression and questioning "how long do I keep doing this" came to my doorstep and it was only with family support and encouragement the determination to keep moving forward thrived.   Six months and only the first party, yet it will become and always be the party that started it all.  I arrived branded with the thoughts it would take me a week.  With the knowledge it takes most businesses five years to establish, I believed I could do it in a month.  I also believed my team and clients would not be affected by my move.  It takes time and you have to allow yourself that. Amen we all have such an opportunity.

Community

Recently a man made an aggressive advance on me while sitting, what I thought was harmlessly, at the laundromat.  I was definitely startled at first and shaken for a time after this abuse.  I was alone and a target.  In the after shock my thoughts turned to my business and how my livelihood is affected because I am seemingly a lowly part of the surrounding culture.  How am I to thrive?  Am I safe? Yet in reading Matthew I am reminded that there is a light within the darkness that is more powerful.  Jesus repeatedly defied cultural expectations and invited the lowly, the outcast, the alone, the rejected to have a relationship with him and his community.  He shared meals with them. I would not have thought I was any of those things yet I can see that there are moments we embody all of those.  In those moments of fear and isolation I can see the three other men who suddenly appeared and shooed the screaming aggressor in my defense.  They blessed me with their humanity so I can see it is not the one who attempts to break my spirit as the one to define me, but the three souls who appeared as protectors for my empowered reassurance.

Stand Back

Well here goes.  I am going to BLOG- stand back...

Six months have passed since our move from Georgia to St Thomas.   I haven't said much because one...whoa, overwhelming what busy can mean as you begin in a new place and two, it means I have to be honest that the entire experience has had a good dose of negative.  When I think about how I portray my livelihood and how I pay the bills and how I take care of my daughter I sure do not want anyone to connect a negative and deter them. 

Life is what you make it and I am dealing with that.   I have confronted sone ugly truths about "paradise" and I am dealing with that.  It has had lonely moments and reflective moments.  Reality has jilted me with fear at times and reminders of good have leveled the field again.  It is definitely a place to be aware.  If you want a health check up for your business. ..move to a new place.  Eye opening.

Two Months Prior to Move

Yes, it just sank in that we are moving and I just began this blog to document it.  However, I haven't been sitting around not doing anything to prepare to move my business.

About the time my hubs had the job offer, I did a general search on facebook for friends in the USVI.  I sent every single one of them a friend request and what I considered a short-and-sweet message about  our family moving to Saint Thomas and I was looking to connect with others.   My message hit the stalker count on facebook and after being accepted by only two people, my facebook account was blocked from sending friend requests or swapping messages with people that were not my friends.  Of course, to agree to terms and get my account access back in two weeks, I had to delete all the open friend requests.  So much for spending an afternoon wasting time on facebook.  :)  Lesson learned that people do click the "I don't know this person outside of facebook" button even with a sweet message.

So, I have two people who could be resources.  One does has not responded to my initial message, my thank you for accepting my request message, or replied back to even one of the three comments I posted on her profile post.  So, I removed her today.  She had "booty pictures" for her profile and I am looking for quality, positive people.  You're still stuck on that "booty" comment aren't you?  I am not kidding.  She was standing facing backwards with her head and phone arched around her bum to take a photo into a mirror.  Booty.

Tip #1 If you are in business for yourself, who you follow and who follows you affects your business.  Go delete the celebrities, drama queens, and bullies who are not doing you any favors.  There are "unlike" options and "unsubscribe" buttons for a reason.  Use them.  I guarantee once you lose them you will gain all the better ten-fold.

Okay, what was I saying.  Oh yes, my two new friends on facebook....err one because I just ditched booty girl.  Ah, I have arrived at that moment when I think back on a popular verse from a movie..."There can be only one."

So, one.  She IS awesome!  An absolute blessing and God-send truly.  Her name is Trinity, so of course she is.  She has offered advice, feedback, assistance, and facebook friendship.  I would post her facebook link so you could friend her, too, she is so great.  But, I won't.  Go find your own helpful hero that lives an ocean away from where you live.  :D  Or you can pelter me with your questions at 3newlocals@gmail.com or comment below.  I'll send you back to this blog if the answer is already here (because, oh yes, more blog posts are coming and you.can.read) or I'll get back to you with my experience as I gain it.

Trinity has been ever so kind to me so you should definitely check her out!  I only found out today, after talking to her for the last month, that she, too, is an independent representative in a direct sales business.  See, God-send! www.beachbodycoach.com/tpreston13 or http://myshakeology.com/tpreston13

Moral of the story: A great connection can be found despite facebook's fancy algorithms.

Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Yeah, we're moving from Northeast Georgia to Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands.  My hubs accepted a grand promotion and transfer to the kind of place we dream of retiring.  We have long been the people of a "why wait" philosophy...why retire there when you can work there.  He was offered the job on December 8, 2012.  Thus, we have know for about a month.  It has taken us that month for it to sink in as truth.  Just a few days ago our definitive choice had words like "possibly" and "if" creeping in being smothered by doubt as we awaited communications from the big new boss.  Early yesterday, my hubs received THAT phone call that buried our doubts.  We are going to Saint Thomas and though our move date is not exact yet, we expect we will be flying to our new Island home in about six weeks.

But this blog is not going to be about his new job and all the decisions that we must quickly make to close out one house and open another (don't remind me that my Christmas tree is still up, along with the stockings on January 11, 2013).  For the last month at least, we have scoured the internet for rental listings, videos, blogs, tourism and essentially overloads of information in an attempt to prepare us for the unknown of becoming "three new locals" (husband, 6 year old daughter, and me).  In my focused attempts I have not been able to uncover any real information pertaining to moving my business or even doing business there.  I have never been a blogger, but I am an information geek...so I accept this mission to fill the gap!

So you see, I am one of those independent representatives from a direct sales company.  You know, home parties, catalogs, online orders, conferences, yada yada Ya-Ya!  I know I am not the first to have this experience of taking an independent home business that you have been working on for almost four years and uprooting it to an entirely different community and culture.  But like I said, I haven't been able to find anyone sharing that horror, so here we begin...life as three new locals.