I've been going along in my business this last year, just going with the flow, taking things as they came. It's a non-stressful way to do business, but also a fairly non-productive way at the same time. Sure my business has grown, but not by much. I can't say that I am where I want to be today. So...where do I want to be?
I somewhat arbitrarily decided I wanted to win the free trip Stampin' Up! is offering - they're giving away trips to Walt Disney World, and they've even reserved Disney's Boardwalk Resort hotel for us. Woo-hoo! I want to go! But how can I produce those big sales, recruits, and downline promotions? I have no idea. But I never tried before. How will I know what I'm capable of if I don't try? And what happens if I fail? Um.... I'll have done better than I ever have before? Is that really all that bad?
My friend Susan says to always aim high. She says you often miss your goal by just a leeeeeetle bit. But since doing so makes you so much more productive than you've ever been, even losing is a winning situation.
So I'm determined to win that trip some day. I'll work on it this year, and if necessary next year, and every year until I get it. Then I'll take a look at my business, and pick a new goal.
When I try to picture myself in my perfect business situation, I see myself with constant workshops and classes, I see myself running one or two clubs, and having a downline. (I'm reading all this great inspiring material, now I want some stamping sisters to share it with!)
So far I don't dream of having a downline in excess of 300 people. I don't see myself on the Advisory Board, or in Founders Circle. I am, after all, a stay-at-home-mom first and a Stampin' Up! demonstrator second. But just wait. I may just make that my goal next year.
On another note, for those who don't like blog posts without pictures, here's Trotters the Pig. He's my first attempt at designing punch art, and from the comments I've gotten, people like him. I never thought I could design punch art before, and now I made myself a pig. What if becoming a huge business success is just as easy as deciding to give it a shot?
Ingredients:
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Old Olive, Whisper White
Tempting Turquoise ink
Basic Black marker
2-step Owl Punch, handmade cloud template, stampin' sponge, paper snips
Charly Bratt
Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator(970) 206-9120
CharlysInkLink@gmail.com
http://charlysinklink.blogspot.com/
So when do you leave!!!!! Don't forget to send us photos! Seriously, you make some really good points here. If you decide that soemthing is too big to acomplish then I guess it will be. But when you change your thinking, well, I believe that is the biggest (first) step. So yes, set the goal, a time-line, a working plan on how you will get there, and stay focused. Don't get discouraged by the set-backs and if by chance you do not reach your goal, like you said, you will be further ahead of the game anyway!
ReplyDeleteNow, I have seen the phrase "downline" a lot. Can you explain what that is?
Thanks for the encouraging words!
ReplyDeleteAbout "downline": Stampin' Up! is a direct-sales company, like Mary Kay. I sell Stampin' Up! products directly, you can't buy them in stores. I can recruit more people to sell for Stampin' Up!, and they are my "downline". I'm not their boss, but I have a responsibility to be their mentor, answer questions, help them get through rough patches, encourage them with business advice sometimes and stamping techniques other times, and cheer them on when they do really well. I have an "upline" too, the demonstrator who recruited me, and her upline, all the way to the top. You might also hear the term "sideline", those are other demonstrators recruited by my upline. Kind of like sisters and cousins.
It's very much a family organization, with sisters, daughters, parents and grandparents. And it feels like a family, too. It's wonderful having my own Stampin' Up! business, but with a built-in mentoring system that really works.
If you want to know more, just email me at CharlysInkLink@gmail.com. I love to talk about Stampin' Up!