Meet a Superstar and enter a Giveaway

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The Giveaway is now Closed.  What a great group of entries!

Sandi Sullivan, AKA Mom CEO,  helps mothers start their own home businesses in the natural household products industry.  One of my readers, Danielle Ray, took a risk, clicked on the square button ad and sent Sandi an email.  Now she is head of the fastest growing team in the company!

Intrigued?  Me too!  Let’s ask Daneille a few questions:

Q.  Tell us about your family.

I have been married for 13 years.   My husband is a high school student pastor so our lives revolve around teenagers!   We have 4 kids: Bronson 11, Cohen 9, Lanna 7 and Gavin 5.  We raise chickens for eggs, take care of a garden and we always have a project going!  Right now we are adding on a covered porch to the back of the house.  We also home school so we can have the flexibility to take trips and vacations when we want.    I think my goals for my children are like most people, I want them to be independent adults who make wise choices and learn from their failures.  I want them to be confident enough to do something different if what they are doing is not working.   I want them to be able to set goals and pursue them.  I want them to be able to get their groove on on the dance floor. I want them to do hard things.  I want to be a good example to them.

Q.  What was your career before starting your home business?

A. Up until last month, I worked as a nurse on weekends in Labor and Delivery helping new people come into the world. While my job was very rewarding it also required me to be away from my family for 12 hour shifts. Our hospital is requiring more and more classes, certifications, and in-service hours in order to keep working. I realized no matter how much I worked my income potential was not going to change without sacrificing more time. The month I decided to resign, my check from M* was $11,580. I figured that I would have had to work at the hospital everyday, 12 hour shifts for an entire month to make that much money. The difference is that I had only worked about 30 hours total for the whole month in my M* business!

Q. How did you first find out about MomCEO?

A. I have been following The Grocery Shrink blog since the summer of 2010.  I was looking for ways to stretch our dollars with 4 kids!  I love the advice, stories, and encouragement Angela offered.  One story was about a lady, Sandi Sullivan.  She talked about how she was able to be at home with her family but still have an income working her business in her spare time.  I sent her a message through the MomCEO button and she called me the next day.

Q.  What made you take the leap and join Sandi’s team?

A. After talking with Sandi I decided her company really met a need we had in our own family.  Not only did she offer an alternative to conventional products, but they were focused on wellness and better health.  That really sparked my interest because I have been a nurse for 15 years. I know it is better to prevent health problems than to treat them after they have already started!  From the products to the business concept, it really made sense.\

Q.  How has starting your own business changed your life

A. I would say my life has been “enhanced”.  We have always managed our money well.  We have a budget.  We enjoy “re-purposing” things, growing a garden and raising chickens.  The difference is that now, we have the time to do more.  The things that we dreamed of doing one day, we are getting to do now.  We have been able to save enough money for our whole family to visit my sister in South Africa.  The best part is, I don’t have to get permission for extended time off!  I have been able to set a schedule, and work as much or as little as I wanted.  Time is a freedom that you do not have working a normal 9-5 job (well, for a nurse a 7-7 job).   I am able to stay home with my kids, but still have a full-time income

Q.  Your personal team is now the fastest growing division in the nation.  What things did you do that were so successful

A.  Our success comes from working together!  It really is about being a team and helping others reach their goals.  Some people are just looking to supplement their income, some want to replace their income.  Sandi has coached my team and helped us every step of the way.  It helps that she was there to guide us to avoid the trial and error that comes with starting something new.  She helped us do well from the start.  Some people can set high goals and get there, but for me, it was all about baby steps.  The best part of setting little goals is reaching them, celebrating, and setting the next goal.  This is what made it fun for the whole family.  We made goal charts that my kids filled in so they felt like they were a part of the business too.  I don’t know how it happened that we became the fastest growing, I just know it has been fun.  So, I guess fast is fun

Q.  How does your family feel about your home business?

A.It really has been a blessing for our family in more ways than just making money, we are also saving money. By learning about a new way to shop, and planning what we need for the month, it has kept me from running to the store every week to pick up a few things and leave having spent $75 each time. After 5 months of shopping with M* my husband called me in a panic because he thought I forgot to make the house payment. He said we had more money than usual in our checking account. I assured him I had made the house payment and it was because I was not going to the store every week now. The savings are continuing to accumulate. We still shop primarily the perimeter of the store, cook and eat at home, and wait for things to go on sale. For all those little things that seemed to rob our budget before, we are getting better quality products that we use delivered right to our door.My kids appreciate our home based business too. We went to the beach last week. We stayed in a very nice beach house, went to meet “Winter” from the movie Dolphin Tales, took an ocean safari boat ride and played on the beach. Bronson, my oldest said, “We never took vacations like this before. It must be because of M*.” We are getting to do more. We have more time, more money, and more dreams to fulfill. It has become our motto to save more, give more, and do more. I remember the way I thought it was going to be when I became an adult and had a family of my own… now I feel like I am doing life the way I had always imagined.

Q. What advice would you give to someone considering their own homebased business?

A. The best advice I can give to anyone trying to start a home-based business is to team up! It is hard to stay motivated and do well without other people doing it with you. It also helps when you are doing something that whole family can appreciate… getting your children involved helps them understand that the time you are not at home with them is being spent reaching your goal. We always celebrate check day and do something special… the great thing about kids is that getting go to Waffle House is a treat!

Q. You have generously offered a giveaway of some of your favorite products. Tell us about them.

A.  I love our laundry soap.  It sounds funny to say you love a cleaning product but I really do!  I also love the Sol-U-Mel.  It has so many uses but my favorite is as an air freshener.  The best part about all our products is that there is nothing harmful in them.  When I am done cleaning my house does not smell like chemicals, just clean

Thank you for your blog and the time you take to encourage others.  I hope this in some way encourages your readers too.  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share.

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If what Danielle is doing sounds like a good fit for you, click here to contact her and find out more.
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Now for the giveaway:  You can win a sparkling home cleaning pack including:Laundry 4-Pack with 96-load MelaPower 6x and MelaBrite 6x Plus DiamondBrite Dishwasher Detergent and Sol-U-Mel all purpose cleaner

$75.00 Value!

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment below and be sure to include your email address.  The winner will be chosen this Friday, May 4th a noon–right after I send out the new menus :).

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215 thoughts on “Meet a Superstar and enter a Giveaway”

  15. AlinaJoy says:

    What a fun giveaway! I’ve been using Angela’s vinegar and orange solution for a while now. I like it so much better than using chemical cleaners. I’d like to try these, too! =)

  25. Karen Hanley says:

    Love your website! Really love it. My husband says that I’ve been addicted since I found you a few weeks ago. 🙂 It works great for our life overseas too.

  27. Andrea says:

    Hmmnn.. very interesting. I am starting a bread baking business. I’ll think and pray about this. I’d love the cleaning stuff too!

  28. Mary Reed says:

    Way to go Danielle! I have friends who market products from home and have not enjoyed the success they desire so it’s great to hear your story. I like how you involve your family in achieving your goals, brilliant! I would love to be part of the giveaway and can’t wait to share your story.

  29. Sharion says:

    What an awesome way to introduce the Melaleuca products. We’ve been using the bath oil for our girls’ eczema. It works great! I’d love to try more stuff.

  31. lesliehas5 says:

    That sounds interesting….I have a friend who also sells Melaleuca and loves it. Would love to try the products!

  32. Katy S. says:

    I’ve always been interested in Melaleuca, this would be a great way to try the products 🙂

  33. Alicia says:

    That would be great! I am trying to incorporate more natural cleaners in my home and would love to try these.

  34. Leesa says:

    I was a phlebotomist in a family practice clinic for 9 years and got to learn a lot about the world of conventional medicine/health; while at the same time having a passion for natural/alternative health. When my oldest son (only 3 at the time) was diagnosed with asthma, allergies, and multiple food allergies, I went on a frenzie to learn more about natural health and clean living. I even joined a couple of “natural” health network marketing companies and quickly became disillusioned with the hype of the business aspect and the expense of the products.
    I am a SAH homeschooling mom of 2 boys, and married to a VERY hardworking husband; I try very hard to stretch our income to meet our family’s various needs. I’m always on the lookout for healthy yet inexpensive ways of taking care of my family.
    I’ve heard of Melaleuca, but never really looked into it. I am interested, but have become a bit of a skeptic over the last 7 years of trying out various (expensive) “healthy” alternative products. I would love for you to prove me wrong and change me into a believer!

  36. Nicole says:

    What a great story! I’ve always wanted to try these products. Thanks for the giveaway!

  38. Lynnette says:

    I loved hearing your story. As another mom in a different direct sales business, being able to work from home a few hours a week and still spending most of your time with your family is so rewarding. Keep up the good work!

  40. Deborah McDowell says:

    This is really neat! I am about to run out of many household cleaners and wanted to try something more natural. I would love to win a couple and try them out!

  46. Beth says:

    Please enter me for the drawing. I have tried a few Melaleuca products and have been impressed.

  49. Sarah says:

    I think these are great! I make most of my own and to get a chance to win some would give me a vacation!!

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