Since I started my new side business, I am frequently asked what it is, what I do and how I got involved so I thought I'd take the opportunity to answer those questions for anyone who cares here on the blog!
Well, let me me introduce you to my reason why...
As all of you know, our lives changed forever when our baby girl was born last May! I had a 12 week maternity leave and then was slated to head back to work in cardiac rehab 4 days a week. I am so incredibly blessed to have a job that I truly love but I had this strong desire to be home more with Libby. With a hubby who was still in grad school and working 2 part time jobs without benefits I knew that I was going to have to work and tried to just accept our situation. About a month before I was supposed to return to work, John Paul could tell that I was having a hard time and came to me...and of course, I just lost it. Being the sweet and supportive husband that he is, John Paul suggested that I only return to work 3 days a week and even though my first thought was that there was no way that we could swing it financially, we began to pray. Pretty soon, we both felt a peace from the Lord to take a leap of faith and have me go down to working 3 days a week. Even though this would be quite a financial adjustment for us, we knew that it would be more than worth it and trusted that the Lord would take care of us just like He always had. I was also so grateful for a husband who was willing to sacrifice and live on a tighter budget so that I could be home with our baby girl.
In August I started back to work 3 days a week and began to get adjusted to the new normal. The next month, I saw a friend's post on facebook inviting anyone who was interested to an informational event for the company she had started working with about a year prior, Rodan + Fields Dermatologists. I literally knew nothing about it but had been seeing her posts for months and had always been really curious because I knew she had actually been able to "retire" from her PR job to stay home with her kids. So I decided I needed to at least learn what this was all about. I messaged my friend to ask if I could attend the event and she said she'd see me there!
I attended the event and was immediately impressed. So what was it all about?? Here's what I learned...
Dr. Rodan and Dr. Fields are the doctors that created Proactiv (hello global brand!) and what they have done for acne they are now doing for aging and sun-damaged skin. It is a clinical skin-care line that used to be sold in retailers (was #1 clinical line in Nordstrom) but they recently left retail and have given consultants (like me) the opportunity to share these amazing products. Their approach to direct sales is awesome - we are not required to host parties, we do not stock inventory, beauty editors cannot stop talking about the products and it can be done in very flexible, very part time hours around all other commitments and priorities. Plus, I was so encouraged to see that there were women with all different backgrounds involved in R+F - teachers, nurses, realtors, lawyers, etc. I left the event so excited and encouraged and couldn't wait to tell John Paul about it. He was so supportive and after doing our research, talking to close friends and family, and praying about it, we decided to jump in!! We both thought, what is there to lose? The company has a 60-day consultant "trial" period, so if I started to find that it wasn't for me, I could opt out and not lose a thing. Now, did I have some fear? Absolutely. But that's totally normal any time you're doing something new. I just knew I would always ask, "what if?" if I didn't give it a try.
So what kind of "work" do I do? I represent Rodan + Fields! Basically, I spread the word about this incredible company to my network....I do that by telling my story honestly, sharing with friends and just explaining how exciting this company has been. And it's all done in the nooks and crannies of time I have in my day around my real life...my baby girl & hubby, family, friends, cardiac rehab job, church, etc. This basically means during Libby's nap time, maybe a little time 1-2 evenings a week, lunch/coffee dates, etc. And did I mention how amazing the products are??? My mom (and many of my other preferred customers) uses the Redefine AntiAge regimen and to say she is obsessed is putting it mildly. My skin is also better than EVER! Most of you probably know that I have struggled with acne for a LONG time so I'll just let this picture speak for itself (the lighting is a little different but you can definitely see how much clearer my skin is)...
So how has this affected our life?? When I started at the end of October I thought any extra income would be great, right? Well, I have already surpassed my goal of being able to pay our rent with this little side business. And now I am realizing that it is actually going to be achievable for me to make up all of the income I lost when I stopped working full time at the hospital. It's not even unrealistic to think that I could stay home full time some day. Crazy stuff. I never thought it would even be a possibility. I'm watching my teammates fund adoptions, pay off student loans, pay mortgages, stay home with their kids, give generously to ministries and charities, take their families on vacation, etc. and it's so encouraging. It makes me want to dream and pray bigger about how we can use this business to bless others. (Our team is amazing, by the way...love them.)
The fact that I am able to help contribute to our family's bottom line while being home with my baby girl is such a blessing. As well as the fact that this business is taking some of the pressure off of my sweet, hard working husband. He would literally work 10 jobs if he could to allow me to stay home more with Libby. R+F is allowing him to focus on finishing school and his young adult ministry which is clearly what he has been called to do...and that makes me so happy and grateful. The freedom that this opportunity has allowed our family is incredible and a complete answer to prayer.
On top of all of that, I absolutely love that I get to be apart of such a reputable and fun company. I'm not even positive who all reads this blog (and it could be like 3 people, ha) but if you read this entry and want to know any more about Rodan+Fields, I would love to share. Is this for everyone? No. Could it be for anyone? Absolutely. If this could be a blessing to you I would love to tell you more. It's too great not to share. There is actually an informational event coming up soon and I would love to attend with you!
If you want to try any of our products you can visit my website at https://kschulze.myrandf.com/ . Customize your routine with the Solution Tool if you're not sure what you need. Touch base with me if you're interested in trying anything so I can be sure to get you 10% off and free shipping :)
Ok I hope this post helped answer everyone's questions! :)
