Why I Retired From Thirty-One, & How I Feel About Direct Sales

A few months ago, I decided that it was time for me to let go of my Thirty-One business. After 5 years with the company, it was an extremely hard decision to make. I am not the type of person that enjoys leaving things unfinished, and that was very much how my Thirty-One business felt. I still had goals I wanted to achieve. I still had a down-line of people that I was trying to bring up. It did not feel like I was making the right move.

So then, why do it? I am a very busy mama of two beautiful boys. They are my world, and if I'm going to be leaving the house for any length of time, it better be for something that I'm extremely passionate about. Most of you know that I have gone back to work this year as a dental assistant as well. So my time is extremely limited.

Likewise, my needs as a consumer have changed. I have approximately 436 Large Utility Totes and I don't really need any more! I'm not the girl I was 5 years ago when I started this company. I'm almost 30 now. I'm not interested in the same things I used to be interested in.

Simply put, I have just outgrown that company and what it offers. That's not to say that Thirty-One isn't a great company for someone else. It was just no longer fitting the bill for me. Between the product change-over every 6 months to the absorbent shipping costs that eviscerate my profits at the end of the day, I'm just ready to move forward to something new.

It felt unfinished though, because the truth is, I am absolutely in LOVE with this type of business. I wholeheartedly believe in the direct sales model. I 100% did not care for the last 5 years if every single person I knew called me the crazy bag lady. I love it because of the flexibility and financial freedom it offers. No one from corporate was going to call me and say, "Hey, we really need you to slow down, you're selling way too many purses this month." That was not a call I ever had to worry about. The opportunity to advance was and still is endless. From the day you sign up, your paycheck can only go one way.  Up. How far up it goes depends solely on YOU. That kind of power and potential is both amazing and terrifying. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Direct sales is an incredible way for people to become their own business owner almost instantly. It doesn't require the same type of financial investment that traditional small businesses do, but the rewards are endless. Check out one of my all time favorite excerpts from one of the first books I ever read in the industry.

"Enter the direct-selling business-small, lean and incredibly efficient. As a direct-selling professional, you can choose from hundreds of fine companies that sell every product or service imaginable-from women's apparel to state-of-the-art nutritional products. In exchange for a minimal investment (most under $100), the company agrees to research, design, test, manufacture, store, ship, and in many cases, service its product-all at its expense. You, in turn, agree to become the company's "marketing department," acting independently to share the products and find new customers, who then become your clients. For every sale that you make, you are paid a commission ranging from 20 to 50 percent. As a direct-selling professional, you have the opportunity to work part-time or full-time and can expand your business enterprise by engaging and training other people, who also love the products, share their enthusiasm for the business, and gain new customers. For this you are paid additional bonuses." -Build It Big, from the DSWA

Umm, I don't know about you guys, but doesn't that sound awesome? And, wait a minute, don't you already promote brands and services that you like? When you try a restaurant that you love, what is the first thing you do? You tell a friend, or write about it on social media. What are you doing? Advertising! When you put on a shirt with a logo or a specific branding (Ralph Lauren, Lacoste,  Guy Harvey, etc) you are directly advertising for that company! We all do these things daily, except we don't get a reimbursement check for doing so. The beauty of direct sales is that your influence pays you back.

Not only that, your influence can help lift someone else out of a dire situation. I know plenty of people whose lives have been completely transformed because of their home-based small business. On my old team, a sister's husband was diagnosed with brain cancer, and because her business was incredibly successful, she was able to schedule her work entirely around her husband's chemo schedule. She was able to spend every single hour of treatment with him, and when he ultimately ended up losing his battle, she was able to spend every moment by his side. Because she was the financial support of the home, she did not lose her home or her cars as a result of his death. She lost her husband, which is tragic enough on its own, but she was able to fully mourn the loss of him without worrying about the bills piling up in his absence. She described the relationship that she had with her business like being Noah from the bible, only that she built her boat before before she knew the flood was ever coming. Her business was the boat that carried her family through the flood.

I remember hearing her story and literally bursting into tears as she was telling it (in a room full of probably 200 women), and I remember telling myself, "I want that ark. I want that security." To this day I have a little cartoon picture of Noah in my office reminding me that our flood could come at any time and that my business could be the thing we float on. 

It is because of that experience and that story that I could not walk away from the direct sales industry as a whole. And let's face it, I'm a type-A control freak. My dad always taught me to have a plan, and then have a back up plan in case the first plan didn't work out.

So last month I officially said, "Good-bye," to my Thirty-One business, and hello to a new venture. It is something I'm passionate about and I am excited to share it. It feels good to have something that I'm working towards again.

I wanted to make a sort of semi-public announcement so that people know why I left Thirty-One. It's not because they are not a great company-truly, I am so grateful for everything I learned and every person I've met in the last 5 years. I am just personally ready to capture a new market. My interests have simply expanded, and I have enough Large Utility Totes to carry all of my stuff in for the rest of my life.

If you want to know what I'm getting into, you better get subscribed!! It's a ground floor opportunity that I'm super pumped about. And if you have lips, you want to know!

Also, over the next few weeks, I will be doing a series on launching a successful home-based business, and the practices I think you need to put in place to start yourself on the right foot. I'll try to post every Wednesday, and right now I have 4 different posts planned. If you are thinking about jumping into the direct sales world, or are already involved but need to revitalize your business, please join me!

I do want to thank my incredible customer base that has kept my Thirty-One business going for the last 5 years. You truly don't understand the influence you make on a home business. When you buy anything from me, you are not helping another CEO buy his 5th yacht. When you buy from me, you make a choice to directly contribute to the success of my family, and you can not and will not ever fully understand what that means to me. I loved being your Thirty-One consultant, and I look forward to earning your business again in the future.

And to my girls in my downline, please know that I still believe in your potential and I will still be here to support you. Maybe not in the same capacity, and maybe not the way you wanted, but it'll be okay. You are strong, confident women and you are capable of so much greatness. I believe in you and I am excited to watch you grow. And hey, now you roll up to the highest paid consultant in the company, ABG! Y'all have got this!

With love,
Cara