8 Years and 8 Lessons Learned

I spent over 8 years with Stella & Dot.

I went from someone who had zero interest in building a business, to someone who replaced her full time teaching income to become a full-time entrepreneur.

And there was a lot of life that happened in the middle of that, but I thought I would pull out some of the biggest lessons that I learned over the course of those 8 years:

1.  People are going to disappoint you, and that means nothing about you or your business. It's just a way of life, and I see so many people become deflated because of it. It could be a family member who you thought would buy or host with you. It could be a friend who you feel like you have always supported, but you aren't getting the same support back. My best advice - don't make it about them, and let it go. What I actually found was that people started supporting me, once they saw that I was successful. Or maybe it was once they saw that I was dedicated. 
2. If you don't know what you're doing - you can build a business by chasing the carrots. Honestly, this is exactly what I did. Every single incentive that they gave, I went for. Every single carrot they dangled, I chased. It's not necessarily what I would recommend or take with me to my next endeavour, but if I am being honest - it worked.
3. Success on the outside, looked a whole lot like burnout on the inside - there were so many points inside my journey, where I was exhausted. Like physically and emotionally exhausted, but I didn't allow myself to rest, because I felt like there was so much to do. What I realize now is that there will always be 'things' to do ...what we need to do is prioritize and build boundaries around the work.
4. A strong work ethic, will be the biggest determinant of your success. I think a lot of people rely on motivation, and moments of inspiration. The truth is, motivation is fleeting. We aren't built to feel like that every single day ...but a dull day, or a challenging week doesn't mean that you aren't capable of building a business. If you can show up, do the things that you say that you are going to do, and keep doing the things - even when you don't feel like it, you will get where you want to go.
5. It's not one thing that you do, that builds your business. It's the accumulation of everything you do, plus the fact that you keep doing them over and over again. I think a lot of people spend a lot of time looking for that one magical idea, or the perfect words to say or thing to post. None of that exists. Your results will be based on the actions you take, stacked on top of one another. Want to build an engaged VIP Group? Post consistently every single day. Want to grow an incredible team? Open up conversations every single day. It's not one thing, it's all of the things.
6. The hardest part about building a business, is trusting that it is working - even when it feels like it's not. And in turn, not giving up before it gets good. Honestly, these businesses aren't hard to build. I can teach you the steps, but you just have to be prepared to do them over and over again, until it starts to click into place.
7. The biggest obstacle that you ever face, will always be yourself. The moments of doubt, of uncertainty, the limiting beliefs that are going to pop up.
8. If someone else can do it, I can too. I used to love looking to the leaders above me in the company, as an example of what is possible. I knew that I could get to where they were, if I just kept going - kept trying new things, kept failing forward, etc. It was just a matter of time and growth. This lesson was also what helped me to decide what company to partner with next.

I will always be grateful for my time with Stella & Dot. It took me through 3 babies in diapers, to a life changing car accident that stripped me of my career. It taught me how incredible this industry can be, took me on multiple all expenses paid vacations and really opened my eyes to what our family life looks like when I work from home.

I remember one of my dreams being - being able to put my kids on and off the bus. That would have never been possible when I was teaching full-time, and it became my reality because of the freedom that Stella & Dot brought into my life. 

But here's the thing - 

Not everything is meant to be forever. There will be times when life shifts and we need to learn how to pivot with it. To take what need from one chapter, with us into the next. 

And in the next chapter, I will share exactly how I did that, when Stella & Dot decided to close out their Network Marketing business model, and go direct to consumer.

ps. want to listen in on this episode on the Podcast? You can do that HERE.