Have you ever found yourself feeling… well… bored with your WineShop at Home business (or any direct selling business, for that matter)? Like somehow the magic is gone?
Yep, I’ve been there. It’s so important to recognize when you’re in this space so you can find a way to get through it and continue moving forward in your business. Because of that, I’ve invited Dana Phillips to write a guest article on this very topic this week.
Trust me: if you’ve ever felt “blah” about your business, you want to read this! Take it away, Dana!
Every direct seller goes through a “falling off period.” Usually it looks something like this: a direct seller reaches a certain point in his or her business where they “get it.” They’ve integrated the sales strategies, the hosting, and they have the system down pat.
They’re making money, but the magic is gone. It feels like they’re just going through the motions… they’ve forgotten why they started.
In my 30+ years experience working with direct sellers, I’ve noticed that a lot of people get so busy working on their business (earning the incentive trips, recruiting, getting tastings/parties on the calendar, putting out fires, etc.) that they don’t take time to step back and ask, “Why do I love this business? What am I accomplishing beyond earning a paycheck?”
Reconnect with Your WHY
When I work with clients who feel bored with their business, I take them back to a time when they were a brand new, wide-eyed consultant dreaming of the incredible possibilities the direct selling industry could bring them.
Remember the way you used to think about the business? It probably sounded something like… “This could change my life! This could be the answer to staying at home with my baby! This could be the extra $200 we need each month to make the car payment/get out of debt/save for our dream vacation. This could be it!”
When you reconnect with the big, emotional WHY that had you get involved in the business in the first place, you can reconnect with the spark of inspiration you felt at the time. And even if you’ve already accomplished some of the big goals you held for yourself within the business (“I want to earn the incentive trip! I want to become a team leader! I want to generate $1000 a month in commission!”), there is still room to uncover what motivates you now.
It’s time to dream big again.
Ready to Reconnect?
This is where it starts to get exciting. Yes, you’ve accomplished the goals you set for yourself in the beginning, and now you get to set new goals and think even bigger.
For most direct sellers I know, reconnecting with their passion for the business has a lot to do with giving back to others. Consider what you can do for other people simply by sharing the business with them and giving them the opportunity to join your team (if this feels scary, imagine how different your life would be if no one had ever introduced you to WineShop at Home—imagine the opportunities you would have missed out on).
Sharing about the business isn’t the only way to reconnect with your passion. I have one client who makes a bunch of money with her business and has decided that she wants to be a philanthropist. She sends about $30,000 annually to an orphanage in Africa where she knows she’s helping children have a better life. How’s that for motivation?
There was a point in time when I had to look at my big WHY, and I realized that my passion is to empower women. I help young women earn money so they have more F words: flexibility, financial freedom, and free stuff (incentives like free wine, accessories and trips). In my experience, women make powerful choices that are beneficial to their community; they spend money in ways that help others. That’s something I feel very passionate about supporting and working towards.
Other big WHYs may have something to do with independence, security, adventure or relationships. Taking care of family members (children, a spouse, parents, etc.) is a huge motivator for most of my clients.
As you move forward in your journey toward reconnecting with your passion for your business, remember that nobody has ever “arrived.” You’ll never “get there” because your target destination will constantly change!
Climbing the mountain of success will never be a straight shot to the top. There will be a jig here and a jog there—the goal is to enjoy the view, love the journey, and be good to others along the way.
I invite you to dream big and be willing to work to make your dreams come true. No matter what your situation, there is always a way to reconnect to your best path, however it may look.
Thanks so much, Dana!
Dana Phillips is an internationally known expert in direct selling. She just doesn’t talk the talk, she has walked the walk. When she and Neil sold her direct selling business, they were number four in the USA and number sixteen in the world of a large global company. Dana possesses a unique blend of skills; her experience in the field, her training as a coach, her years as an executive and now her work with direct selling professionals from around the world position her as an expert in the field. She is funny, authentic, and teaches duplicable systems!
Team Connections is one of the largest Direct Selling Leadership training and coaching companies in the world. She co-authored Direct Selling 101, a bestselling audio CD from Time Life, join their community on Facebook, Direct Selling Leaders’ Network (Team Connections).
If you’re interested in learning more about WineShop at Home, click HERE to connect with me directly and let’s find out how you can use the business to get to your big WHY!