• Before we begin, I want to be very clear that I know that how you choose to be a personal use team member or a business team member is completely your choice, of course! I am not the boss of you! So, ignore everything I am about to say or pay attention to whichever of it makes sense to you. At least, you’ll know where I stand. 

Have you heard the saying, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” When I became a CM consultant on July 5, 2002, I tried very hard to be a company-gal, tow the line and do things the CM way. Very, very quickly (and by quickly, I mean in my very 1st class, typically known as the “launch class” to start my business) I learned that by doing that, I was leaving out a lot of people… and it made me extremely nauseous. I knew right away the the status quo with CM would not work for my clients, nor me, and I sought out the people who could help me develop a more inclusive business.

This stance did not make me popular with CM, but it did make me quite popular with my clients. They loved what was then called “Dare to Be Done”, originated by the amazing and wonderful former CM Director Kimberli Brackett, and quickly adopted by me. I was criticized by CM for not doing what the company promoted, crafty-decorative albums, and it took me a while to truly take a stand publicly for my approach. I tried to “play nice” for many, many years and not rock the boat too much, but that was not in service to my clients. The more clear and bold I became regarding photos with stories on a page instead of decorating, the more people, especially parents, I’ve been able to reach, break through the crafty scrapbook brainwashing, and empower them to enjoy and use their photos. I have spent well over $20K to educate myself on heart-based selling/marketing, because I’ve never wanted to feel or be pushy-salesy.

Today, the “Dare to Be Done” process has evolved into the UNscrapbooking structure and philosophy and remains the ground breaking, doable structure it has always been.

As I’ve added in additional products like Essential Oils, Mineral Makeup and supplements, I’ve applied the same high standards to how I share them, too. BUT, rest assured, my main business focus will always be everything photo and story-related.

The guiding principles of this team are:

• Let your WHY inform how and what you do throughout your business: watch “Start with Why!”

• Find needs and fill them. How do we find need? By asking enough open-ended questions of our potential clients and listening. (I have a training series on this)
• Be the solution or refer them to the solution, if we aren’t it.
• Use our products authentically ourselves.
• Lead with our hearts and integrity, not “I’ve gotta’ get this sale! I’ve gotta’ get this sale!”
• Start and stay with the simplest. For instance, album-making… be a stand for UNscrapbooking (simplest) and don’t compromise. There are plenty of people who can teach someone crafty scrapbooking. That’s not us. Stay in your lane, which is UNscrapbooking, and be the guide, the voice your clients need.
• Teach the why and what for free. Do NOT teach the how for free. This isn’t a charity, BUT you may certainly use your money to benefit charities.
• Making money is a good thing.  Repeat after me: making money is a good thing!!
• Shop from your own store.

I’ll probably add more to this list as we go along because sometimes we don’t realize what we are doing on a regular basis which is a guiding principle.

Best Next Step:

• Go to Team Orientation and complete the surveys/questionnaire plus learn more.