5 Things Every Sponsor Wants to Tell Their Team

Top 5 Obstacles Every Consultant Must Conquer

In the over 9 years I've been a Scentsy Consultant I've recruited over 100 amazing people to join me on this crazy, fun thing I call my Scentsy business. I'm excited and eager for every single one to really take advantage of all the great benefits of making a living as a Scentsy Consultant - flexible schedule, work where & when I want, free travel, etc - and so I jump in and try to do everything I can to help them get their new biz off the ground.

Unfortunately, it doesn't always happen. And not for the reasons you might think.

I've never seen a Consultant close the doors of their business because they didn't know what to do or how to do it. Never. 

Below are the top 5 obstacles I've seen trip up Consultants leading them to not achieve the success they envisioned when they enrolled. If you've ever thought of being your own boss and looking for something new, check out my blog post about My Favorite Benefits of Being a Scentsy Consultant. If you're ready to join Scentsy and launch your own business simply follow the link to Join Scentsy. 

YOU ARE MORE AWESOME THAN YOU THINK 

I've noticed that many new Consultants feel inadequate or have a burdening self-doubt. I just want to say "You are enough. You are more than just enough. You are awesome!" Too often new Consultants bring in heavy negative baggage they’ve acquired from life that weighs them down under a belief they are not smart enough, tall enough, pretty enough, rich enough - whatever it might be - to do well as a Scentsy Consultant. You do not need to be anything more, or anything different than what you are.

Actually, once you allow yourself to tap into your OWN creativity, your OWN uniqueness and free yourself to be your type of Consultant - THEN you will find success. You, all by yourself, can figure out how to win at being a Scentsy Consultant. You have what it takes in spades to be successful. Don’t let yourself give in to the excuse that you - and anything about who you are or your unique situation and circumstances - disqualify you from success. Rather, recognize that your unique strengths, perspective, and personality are the very things that will help you be successful. Stop doubting yourself, or beating yourself up over past or current mistakes and engage your own strengths and you will be surprised just how awesome you are. Sounds cliche I know, but I've seen it over and over and over again.

FEAR

This happens with almost every single new Consultant. It is the number one reason, in my experience, that so many new Consultants give up. This quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson is so true -

Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.

Fear of failure is the most prevalent and debilitating. They say to themselves, "I don’t want to be the person that tried Scentsy and failed. If I get excited and go out and have parties, and tell everyone that I am a Scentsy consultant, talk about the business on Facebook, maybe even grow a team, and then it doesn’t work out I’m going to look like a schlumpf. All my friends will see me as a failure, I’ll feel like a failure, and they’ll tease me about that one time I tried to chase my goals as a Scentsy Consultant." I see this with SO many new Consultants. After doing this for over 9 years this is easy to recognize but the last thing new Consultants want to admit is preventing their success.

I've found the best way to address fear is to open about it. Every time I coach my team and we're making goals and tactics to achieve their goals, we always talk about any fears or skill gaps that would prevent them from doing the tactics we discussed. It is impossible to be successful as a Scentsy Consultant without overcoming fear. Nelson Mandela once said -

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”

JUST DO IT

NOTHING can replace doing it. I’ve had hundreds of goal-making sessions, spent hours training, coaching and even roleplaying everything from how to enter parties in the workstation to how to book parties, recruit a new team member, and take care of customers. I’ve bent over backwards to make sure my team KNEW how to do everything and felt motivated to do everything they needed to do to win. But, all too often, regardless of how much they knew how to do what they needed to do - they still didn’t do it. Consultants with little or no training have awesome parties, and recruit amazing new Consultants. They just simply do it. They host parties, they talk to people about joining Scentsy, they message people about their orders, they just do it. Untrained, untouched, imperfect, yet getting it done. No amount of training or coaching will ever replace an attitude focused on simply doing it. Sometimes we let ourselves get so focused on preparation and practicing that we become paralyzed and fail to actually just go and do it.

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
Dale Carnegie

If you're too worried and focused on preparing and practicing then your focus is driven by fear and you doubt yourself and your training at the first sign of training. The sooner you jump into improvement by practice you are focused on finding your way to success; getting better with each misstep, tailoring your approach to fit you and ultimately finding your own, unique, very YOU type of way of operating. That's when you'll hit your stride and find you're no longer forcing yourself to invite people to buy, host, or join.

MAKE GOALS

In soccer you need goals to win. Literally, if there were no goals no-one would ever win. It’s true with Scentsy as well, if you have no goals you won’t ever achieve them. And how could you? You have no measurement of success, you have no direction, no target. Say out loud what you want from your Scentsy business and write it down. Tell someone, anyone that will be an accountability partner for you, what your goal is - whether it's your Scentsy sponsor (who would love to have that convo with you!) your spouse, friend, parent, sibling, whoever, and then get to work.

Setting Goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. 
Tony Robbins

If you want Scentsy to pay for a date night at least once a month, or cover a phone bill, the utilities, car, or even the mortgage - say it and write it down. Your Scentsy business can do any of these, and all of these!, but like anything, it takes work and working without a goal is like driving down the freeway just hoping you can correctly guess the exit that will take you to your destination. Pick your destination first (make goals) and then find a map (what you'll do to achieve your goal) to get you there.

BE PERSISTENT

For some reason, we want to believe that any setback is an indication that the whole thing is flawed. Too often if a new Consultant invites someone to have a party, join their team, do a fundraiser, or some other Scentsy-related activity and that person responds negatively they get deflated and give up. If you ask someone to host a party and they say no thanks. Move on. How many people did you date before you found the right one? There’s a million shows on TV yet we ignore the large majority of them and have our own few favorites. They simply don’t interest us. Scentsy isn’t for everyone, it has NOTHING to do with you and everything to do with them. It’s their choice, not yours. Allow people to be different than you and not be interested in buying, or joining WITHOUT taking it personally. A “No” is not a “You suck, I hate you”. It is what it is, someone indicating they are not interested, nothing more.

Giving up on your goals is like slashing your other three tires because you got one flat.

When you feel like you've hit a setback, don't surrender your goals so easily. Stop blaming yourself, you didn't royally screwup, give yourself the benefit of the doubt and try again...and again, and again. You can either keep trying with the aim of getting better as you go on your path to success OR consider everything that doesn't go as planned, as further evidence that becoming a Scentsy Consultant wasn't a good idea. So keep on keepin' on and giving it the ol' college try and I have no reason to believe you won't get better and find a way to make it work.

Is Scentsy a Good Fit for Millennials?

Is Scentsy a Good Fit for Millennials?

Millennials look for a different way to work, and wonder if a Scentsy business would be a good fit.  The millennial generation carries unique qualities and talents and opportunities.  A lot of those would make a millennial a great fit as a Scentsy Consultant. Often, they get a bad wrap, but there are some definite benefits to the millennial generation as Scentsy Consultants.

Who is a Millennial

First, just to make sure we're all on the same page, what makes someone a millennial? The Pew Research Center reports on data about Millennials and defines them as those born after 1980.  They are the first generation to come of age in the new millennium. Below are some general characteristics of the Millennial generation.

Millennial Generation

According to research from Goldman Sachs, the Millennial generation is the largest in history with a whopping 92 million members! That is even larger than the Baby Boomer generation coming in at 77 million and Generation X which was even lower still at 61 million.

Hello My Name is Millennial

Technology generation

Millennials are the first generation to grow-up in the era of rapid technological innovation.  They were born during smartphones, internet and the always-on digital world. As such, they are much more digitally connected than previous generations and use technology like texting, vlogging, messaging.  They are particularly more likely to use social media platforms to communicate.Smart Phone image

Debt generation

The Millennial generation is burdened with much more debt than previous generations. Student loan payments take up an increasing percentage of Millennial income after graduation. According to the Federal Reserve, the mean student loan balances of 25 year olds has practically doubled from just over $10,000 in 20013 to just over $20,000 in 2013.

Earning a Living

So now that we are more familiar with some of the characteristics of the Millennial generation, what do we know about what they want out of an occupation? Or really - what do they want, if anything, from the way they earn a living? There are lots of stereotypes about Millennials and lots of research about how to cater careers to Millennials.

debt image

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review stated -

Everyone gets it. Conventional wisdom holds that Millennials are entitled, easily distracted, impatient, self-absorbed, lazy, and unlikely to stay in any job for long. On the positive side, they’re also looking for purpose, feedback, and personal life balance in their work. Companies of all kinds are obsessed with understanding them better.

Actual Few Differences

The article goes on to suggest that more and more evidence is finding that there are few actual differences in Millennials and the rest of us. It continues -

While pithy descriptions of what makes Millennials unique are presented as self-evident and seem to have a ring of truth to them, very few are supported with solid empirical research. On the contrary, a growing body of evidence suggests that employees of all ages are much more alike than different in their attitudes and values at work. To the extent that any gaps do exist, they amount to small differences that have always existed between younger and older workers throughout history and have little to do with the Millennial generation per se.

The article continues to suggest that though there has been much said, studied, discussed and while stereotypes seem to abound, there just doesn't seem to be any real evidence of difference between the generations. It appears, according to this Harvard Business article, that there really is minimal differences in what the Millennial generation and the previous two (Generation X and Baby Boomers) want out of a career. The article states that -

For one, a group of researchers from George Washington University and the Department of Defense analyzed more than 20 published and unpublished studies examining generational differences and concluded that meaningful differences among generations probably do not exist in the workplace. The small differences that do appear are likely attributable to factors such as stage of life more than generational membership.

Millennial career goals

Overall Occupation Goals

So what does this all mean? My key takeaway is that Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers are looking for the same type of benefits from an occupation.  This is definitely not what I had supposed! I have done lots of research outlining the differences between Millennials and previous generations. And this article suggests that the differences are not attributable to generation, but rather life stage.

So if you are a Millennial, Generation X, or Baby Boomer, a Scentsy business could be a good fit.  A good fit is if you like the freedom to work where and when you like, enjoy free travel, spending more time with family and friends, and making good money.  If this sounds like you, then consider joining Scentsy and becoming a Scentsy Consultant.

Benefits of a Scentsy Business

Millennials are a good fit for Scentsy, and Scentsy is a good fit for Millennials. Come start a Scentsy business that offers the flexibility and use of technology where you can thrive. 

Owning your own business is key to the flexible schedule, gig-type economy, and using your creativity with technology.  This is where the benefits of a Scentsy business outweigh other jobs. 

Want to know my favorite benefits of being a Scentsy Consultant? Or see if you'd be an awesome Scentsy Consultant? Check out my post called "Could I Be an Awesome Scentsy Consultant?"

Is Scentsy a Pyramid Scheme?

Pyramid Schemes

Every now and then I tell people how my husband and I support* our family with our Direct Sales business. Inevitably the conversation leads to this question, “Oh, so it’s like a pyramid scheme?”.

No, Scentsy is not a pyramid scheme. After a while, I began to wonder what exactly is a pyramid scheme. Why do so many people consider any direct selling business to be one?

What Is a Pyramid Scheme

So first, what is a pyramid scheme? When in doubt, turn to Wikipedia! 🙂 –

Pyramid schemes—also referred to as franchise fraud or chain referral schemes—are marketing and investment frauds in which an individual is offered a distributorship or franchise to market a particular product. Participants earn the real profit, not by the sale of the product, but by the sale of new distributorships. Emphasis on selling franchises rather than the product eventually leads to a point where the supply of potential investors is exhausted and the pyramid collapses.”

Often, the term pyramid scheme is associated with direct selling businesses.  However, it actually happens just as much if not more often in the financial sector.

Pyramid Scheme 101

Examples 

I did a Google search for the term pyramid scheme. The first result was an article about a Montana woman.  She pleaded guilty to using money from new investors to make payments to earlier investors, between 2008 and 2016. The article states that "she's accused of taking $1.5 million from 28 different people. At least four of the investors were identified as vulnerable persons because of their age, and one was mentally disabled." 

That type of "business" is bad, and should get a bad wrap.  It's also illegal (with good reason).

Here is an another article in Investopedia about pyramid schemes in the financial sector. There's also a great short video on that page explaining pyramid schemes.

How to Know if a Business Is Legitimate

Below is a video from the Direct Selling Association in Australia called "Understanding Illegal Pyramid Schemes".  The video outlines they key points of how to identify whether a business is a legitimate direct selling business or a pyramid scheme.

vimeo id="145132190"

MLM organizations

Specifically with regards to Multi-level marketing organizations the same Wikipedia page states –

According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission legitimate MLM, unlike pyramid schemes:

"...have a real product to sell. More importantly, MLM's actually sell their product to members of the general public, without requiring these consumers to pay anything extra or to join the MLM system. MLM's may pay commissions to a long string of distributors, but these commission are paid for real retail sales, not for new recruits."

Selling of Goods is Key

In summary, any business model in which members make money from the signup fee of someone else rather than any actual selling of goods or services is a pyramid scheme. Additionally, in exchange, the organization promises its new members a share of the money taken from every additional member that they recruit. If a percentage of your sign up fee goes directly to those who enrolled you, or if you are a member of a business that rewards you financially when someone joins under you – then you are part of a pyramid scheme.

The FTC also has more information at this link- FTC Pyramid Schemes - to help consumers understand the difference between legitimate direct selling businesses and scams.

So do I sell products? Absolutely! Scentsy has a fantastic brand with amazing, innovative products namely, Warmers, Diffusers, Buddies, Laundry, Skin, and, of course, it's very, very popular fragrances!

To buy Scentsy online simply visit my Scentsy Website to browse all of the fantastic items I sell.   

Pyramid Scheme Promises

Pyramid Schemes come in all shapes and sizes but all make massive promises.  Generally speaking, these schemes also leave their members, except the few at the top, worse off. This same Wiki page tells of about a dozen notable pyramid schemes all over the world.  These businesses have caused riots and robbed thousands, if not millions, of people lots of money.

Pyramid schemes are illegal ploys to rob people.  They promise an income to convince more and more people to pay the enrollment fee, of which they get a portion.

Structured to Defraud

In a Forbes magazine article by Nancy Collamer, she clarifies that “MLM’s are sometimes erroneously referred to as “pyramid schemes” – companies structured with the intent of defrauding the public”. These organizations are designed to make money, but NOT generated by the sale of any product or service. Money is made when individuals pay an enrollment fee - to a small group or individual at the top and are illegal.

Is Scentsy a Pyramid?

In Scentsy, I do get potential leadership bonuses from the amount my team sells. However, I don't get a sign-up fee when they join.  I am paid for helping new team members join and start a successful business, selling actual products. 

Many ask the question of how is a Scentsy consultant paid; can I really make money with Scentsy?  You can watch this video I created to explain the Scentsy Compensation Plan and how we make money.

Start a Legit Business

And as always if today is the day you’re and ready to be your own boss and looking for a legitimate business opportunity, come join my Scentsy team! Ever wonder if you’d make an awesome Scentsy Consultant? Check out my blog post answering that very question – Could I be an awesome Scentsy Consultant?

Are you ready to work hard to earn trips, make great friends, make money, and be able to enjoy more time with your friends and family? Then come on over to my Scentsy website and Join Scentsy!

Is Scensty A Scam?

Want to learn more about Scentsy, the company? Here's a little history about Scentsy in an article answering the question Is Scentsy a Scam?

*When I talk about income from our Scentsy business, the FTC requires that I add results are not typical, and include this Income Disclosure Statement.  Results are not typical, but honestly, neither are you.  I worked hard to make this happen, and so can you.

Could I Be An Awesome Scentsy Consultant?

Could You Be An Awesome Consultant?

Deciding if you are a good fit and could be an awesome Scentsy consultant is a common and important question.  Here are four key things to consider:

1. First, it's helpful to make sure you are ready to start a Direct Sales business as a Consultant (if you're asking, I think you are!).

2. Second, to partner with a company you trust (Scentsy is awesome!). 

3. Additionally, choosing a good sponsor is important.  Your sponsor can mentor you to get started as a Consultant, and keep building your business to success (I'll be here to help you!).

4. Lastly, YOU are the key ingredient.  If you possess these qualities below (or want to work to get them), you really could be an awesome consultant. 

Could you be an awesome scentsy consultant

My Consultant Experience

Joining Scentsy as an Independent Consultant is one of the best choices I have ever made. My husband and I have started multiple business. None have as been rewarding emotionally and financially as our Scentsy business.

A Team Mentor

My journey as a Scentsy Consultant began when I joined in 2008.  During that time, hundreds of Consultants have joined my team.  I love to help them grow their business and achieve their goals.  My favorite part as a Consultant is mentoring my team, and I have even earned the Annual Mentor Award 6 times, so I have lots of experience with new team members. 

I’ve seen hundreds if not thousands of Consultants join my team or other teams. Some become Consultants and rock and roll their business while others seem to fade and leave.  I have stuck with it as a Consultant, so I think it's helpful to look at why some don't stay. 

Why Some Quit

In the direct selling industry it’s said that at any given moment, one-third of your team is just starting, another third is really working, while another third is on their way out. Meaning they’ve hit some kind of obstacle and lost their drive and momentum to keep chasing their goals.

In the more than 15 years that I’ve been a Scentsy Consultant, I’ve seen plenty of great Consultants run into challenges. They lose steam and let their business fade away.

It could be a matter of bad timing with life.

Could also be that they were not comfortable coming out of their comfort zone, or maybe their team grew and they felt uncomfortable being a leader.

Maybe they felt unsupported by friends, family, co-workers etc. who held the stereotype of direct selling undermining the success of their friend.

Whatever the reason, people join and don’t capture whatever they envisioned in their head.

Who Will Be Successful with Scentsy?

So who will be an awesome Scentsy Consultant?

First, I can say that I’ve not found any demographic answer to who will be a successful Scentsy Consultant.

No single factor, regardless of background, education, income level, race, where you live or any other variable, seems to consistently show how much success you’ll achieve as a Scentsy Consultant. Even having past experience in direct selling isn’t a clear indicator.

I’ve seen individuals join Scentsy from all over the world from all backgrounds.  Some come with amazing experience in direct selling – sellers of other brands with years of experience... and yet that doesn’t always translate into success with Scentsy.

If it’s not experience, education or any of these things that determine success what does?

Qualities of Awesome

There are a handful of things that I’ve observed that make a very real difference in how much success a Consultant is able to achieve. 

What is so amazing and inspiring about the things I’ve observed are vital ingredients in the recipe for success is that they are characteristics that ANYONE can have. There is no monopoly on them so there is no reason anyone, from any background can become an amazing Scentsy Consultant.

1. Optimistic

The first is Optimistic.

No matter your background, years of direct selling or professional experience, you will be hard-pressed to achieve any significant Scentsy goals without overcoming obstacles. I’m not saying that the road to success is impossible or only for the real superheroes. But, like any real notable achievement, you will need to get comfortable out of your comfort zone and be able to overcome fears or skill gaps.

Whether it’s fear of failure, lower sales than planned, a potential recruit that declines, or some other thing – those who can lift up their head and optimistically move forward, win. Success as a Scentsy Consultant, is more attainable than most people realize.  Whether you define success as trips, time with family, working from home, extra income or lots of income, it really can be yours. But without optimism people sell themselves short and give up. Optimism is the silver lining.

For example, because Scentsy is a very popular product, sometimes a product will sellout within hours. It’s a real bummer and I don't envy the employees who spend hours and hours estimating, calculating, and forecasting how much of a particular product to produce. It’s a thankless job and sometimes they get it wrong. But, what am I going to do? Complain that my products are so popular and wish I could join the countless numbers of other companies begging people to buy my product?

There is always a positive side to every news, training ourselves to find it is the trick. By no means does that mean we, as Consultants no longer carry the need to communicate to the company when they screw up. However, after that, the best course forward is with a positive attitude.

2. Team Player

The second is being a Team Player. We’re all in this together – life and Scentsy. To achieve any of the goals that people have with their Scentsy business, it’s imperative to have the ability to work with people that are different from you.

As your Scentsy business grows you will recruit people, possibly from all over the world where Scentsy is available, and they will be different than you.

I’ve found that those who join Scentsy with an attitude of “We’re all in this together” and help their fellow teammates and their downlines, really get their business off on the right foot.

3. Self Starter

Being a self-starter. In the more than 15 years I’ve been a Scentsy Consultant I’ve been at a leader level for almost 14 of those years. I’ve welcomed amazing new team members, and been super excited for them. I would put myself in their shoes and envision ways they could have awesome sales success and grow their team given their unique strengths. I often found that I was thinking more about their success than they were.

Every new Consultant asks me to help them grow their business, and I absolutely LOVE helping everyone achieve their goals.  I am not a Scentsy Consultant just for the money, trips or anything else. Nothing is more motivating to me than to see the lives of my team change with their Scentsy business.

SO many have discovered they can be home with their kids and still bring home a good income, earn free trips for them and their significant other, help cover bills after a spouse is let go from work, or pay off pesky student loans. THAT makes it SO MUCH FUN.

That said, I discovered that when I held my new Consultant's hand, I actually did them a disservice.  It robbed them a bit of the “baptism by fire” experience that fuels their drive. Since I could easily see them as a successful Consultant in my minds eye, I worked to help them.  However, in the long run, they didn’t strengthen their self-starter muscles so they floundered.

Now, my approach is I don’t push or pull, I partner. I will work alongside you, recognize your success, cheer you on and help you overcome skill gaps or fears but I cannot earn you a trip or a promotion. And in the long-run, it is better that way. That seems so counter-intuitive but I’ve found it to be true.

4. Determination

If you could work hard for 2 years and earn a Doctor's salary would you do it? How many years do they work hard for a Bachelor’s degree, or a Masters, or even longer – to be a doctor?

I’ve seen both talented, promising individuals and seemingly untalented, and unpromising individuals join Scentsy and become Scentsy Consultants. I’ve seen people from both groups go on to experience massive success and people from both groups that let their business die.

Along with the other characteristics I’ve talked about, those that found success seemed able to keep on keeping on when confronted with obstacles. Not only that, they didn’t let life happen to them, they made goals and dreams with dream boards and pictures of what they wanted to earn or win sticky-tacked to the mirror in the bathroom or in their car. They decided what they wanted and worked to earn it, at all cost. The simple act of deciding what you want, writing it down, posting it all over the house, and doing whatever it takes to make it happen is very, very powerful.

Again, no one has a monopoly on determination, nor is it very complicated.

Determination is something that I cannot give or train, which makes it so vital to your success as a Scentsy Consultant.

I can help you make goals, I can even help make dream boards. 

How well you make it happen and actually do it every day is up to you.  

Let's do this!

Start as a Consultant

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