Melaleuca: A Home For Moms

Motherhood comes with more than a gray hair or two. It comes with stress, worry, tears and exhaustion. But it’s the accompanying kisses, smiles, joy and satisfaction that make it all worth it.

Moms carry a lot of responsibility. They run a household, raise children, prepare nutritious meals, help with homework, nurture others and often bear the responsibility to help with the family income. Dads do too, but an unusual weight falls to moms. For many different reasons, a mom’s load is the heaviest.

I’ve learned moms find a way to make things work. They want to have time with kids, do what’s necessary for their families, and bring in an income. When all of that seems impossible, they find a way to make it work and pursue their goals with passion. In short, don’t get in the way of a determined mom.

When anyone asks Executive Director Angie Gange what she does for a living, she replies, “I’m a mom.”

“My children come first,” she told me. “I have three great kids that I adore and they are a blessing to my husband, Paul, and me.”

With the economic downturn in 2008, Angie knew she had to do something to provide additional income to support her three boys, the oldest of which was starting college. She didn’t want to return to work as a mortgage broker because she wanted to be home with her two youngest boys, and because of the economy, returning to the mortgage business part time was not an option. Then, Executive Director Dr. Barbara Ryan introduced Angie to Melaleuca.

Angie and her husband loved the products, so Angie decided to get to work. She worked with purpose and teamed up with Dr. Ryan with a fixed determination to change her family’s situation. In her first month, she advanced to Director III. In her second month with Melaleuca, her check was $4,298. In her fifth month, her check was $13,573. Last month, in her eleventh month, she advanced to Executive Director and earned $25,814.

“I don’t mind working hard, but I want it to be on my terms and around my family,” Angie says. “I want to be there for my kids when they have a big test the next day, or they’ve had their heart broken, or they have a big game—I want to be there to share those moments with them.”

Her Melaleuca business and the residual income she earns allows her to be there at home. Her husband, Paul, said that when she first started, “If she would have made a few hundred dollars a month, it would have been great. But now Angie is able to pay cash for our son’s college education. That is the best gift she could have given me.”

After years of watching thousands of moms start their Melaleuca business, I’m amazed at the determination of moms. I love Melaleuca’s mission of enhancing lives. I take great pride in the fact that Melaleuca is exactly what most moms are looking for: a business that works on their terms in the time they have to give to it. It allows them to fit a business around their life, not their life around their business.

Research by the American Association of University Women shows that most people would choose a job with lower pay if it provided benefits such as family leave, flexible hours and help with family care. Fortunately, a lot of moms have discovered they can maintain a substantial income and have those flexible hours with a Melaleuca business. Perhaps the greatest benefit Melaleuca offers is an opportunity to really nurture and care for their family.

TAILOR MADE FOR MOMS

It’s natural for many moms to see immediate success when they talk to their friends about Melaleuca. Moms are interested in Melaleuca because of our safer-for-your-home products. They’re easy to talk about, and they work exceptionally well. Moms soon discover that EcoSense® products aren’t just better; they’re at a lower cost per use too. It’s also easy to talk about wellness and wellness products. Whether it’s the Access® Bar or Renew™, it’s pretty simple to share Melaleuca products with others. So, moms don’t need to have a lot of business or sales experience to create an ongoing residual income. They just have to be willing to talk to their friends about something they care about: safety and wellness. You could say Melaleuca products were made especially for moms.

Recent statistics show the disparity in pay found in the traditional business world. According to a 2007 Center for American Progress study, a woman earns an average of 78 cents to every dollar a man earns in a year. Often, even when a mother does enter the workplace, she may face frustration and pressure in what is often a dog-eat-dog atmosphere.

But at Melaleuca, there is no glass ceiling and there is no rat race.

A mother who wants to contribute to the family finances can do so to whatever degree she wants. And often her Melaleuca business becomes a family affair as her children see her example of hard work, ingenuity, interaction with others, and team leadership. What an opportunity for children to learn entrepreneurship and other character traits that will help them as they enter adulthood! Moms know nothing is more powerful than example.

Moms are uniquely equipped to build a Melaleuca business. They know how to prioritize multiple tasks, listen with true empathy, communicate with feeling, and relate to others. They understand the peace that comes from empowering others with what they need to succeed and enjoy making a difference in the lives of others. Mothers have an incredible ability to team up. They know how to foster strong relationships and even defuse an emotional situation or help others focus on their goals.

I love hearing the stories of newfound hope from moms at Melaleuca, and I know we’ll hear many more of those stories in the months and years ahead. Melaleuca is the home for moms and it’s a place where moms can make a difference for their family. We realize our mission of enhancing lives every time a mom starts shopping for safer products and building a Melaleuca business to help her family and herself.

Tagged as: business, McKay, moms, stay at home moms, women