Laura Georgiadis’s life and career took a turn 5 years ago when she was first introduced to Arbonne skincare products. The moment the product touched her skin, she fell in love, and decided to launch her business selling the product the very next day. She hasn’t looked back since. Read our interview with the lovely Laura below…
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
In the fall of 2011 I was working full-time, alongside the happy demands of raising a young child and running a household with my husband. I was invited to a presentation at a friend’s house and the only words I heard were ‘spa’ and ‘wine’ and I responded that I’d be there for sure. What busy mom (or any person for that matter) would say ‘no’ to an opportunity to relax, meet new friends and enjoy a glass of wine? I was intrigued with what the Arbonne consultant described to me about the products, but overwhelmingly impressed with how they felt on the skin. Mind you, I was getting close to 40 years of age at that point and had no skincare routine whatsoever. I was able to sample much of the skin care line that afternoon. When the presentation ended I ordered some products to again, give them a ‘whirl’ before really investing, and went home. The next morning, I began to reach out to my friends and family to tell them how amazing my skin felt just after one sleep using the night crème. Others were excited to sample Arbonne personally and a lightbulb went off in my head that this is what having a direct selling/relationship marketing business is all about – sharing something you love. That same day I registered as an Arbonne Independent Consultant. I’ve also come to love this saying and I repeat it silently every single day – In order to have something I’ve never had, I needed to be willing to do something I’d never done.
Tell us about your business.
I am an Executive District Manager with Arbonne International. Our company’s philosophy is ‘Pure, Safe & Beneficial’. When I’m asked what Arbonne is, I’m proud to answer (and this is the simple answer… we are so much more) that we are a Swiss formulated health wellness company. Long before people were reading labels, a Norwegian named Petter Morck had a vision for creating a company whose products would be pure, safe, vegan certified, and free of harmful chemicals. He also had a vision for how the products would be shared with others. Because of the high quality raw botanical ingredients his products would have, and because of the absence of the harmful fillers, paying all the middlemen in traditional retail would not be an option. He chose a far superior business model; he wanted his products shared through independent business owners – not hourly employees in physical stores – because another part of his vision was to make many women millionaires.
He said that if a woman is given a million dollars, the world becomes a better place, because women give back. Arbonne launched in 1980, and it continues to grow by leaps and bounds 36 years later as people everywhere are waking up to the truth that what goes on our skin goes right into the bloodstream, and that what goes into our bodies is either a fuel or toxin. People are searching for pure, safe products in skincare, cosmetics, and nutrition, and when they find Arbonne, they feel they’ve come home, and they stay. Arbonne is currently in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Poland; we will open in Taiwan in November of 2016 with many more countries to come.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
Yes, I never allow my clients to pay retail price for Arbonne. I’m a bit of a penny pincher and I’m really savvy at figuring out the best way to save money when purchasing Arbonne. Ask me how.
Where is your business based?
As I mentioned in the previous question, Arbonne can be based pretty much anywhere in the world. Our home office is in Irvine, California. It’s a business that has no geographic boundaries, however, you must be a citizen of one of the countries listed above in order to become an Arbonne consultant. If you’d like to know my specific business location, it’s in the guest room of my home in a suburb of Richmond, Virginia.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
The first steps were to reach out and let people know what I was doing. Many of my friends were surprised to hear that I had joined ‘one of those businesses’ especially since it had to do with skincare and cosmetics. I’m what you’d call a ‘Tom boy’. I like to say that I’m not ‘fancy’ but I do like to take care of myself. I invested in some start up inventory to be able to let others give it a try and grew from there. Another first step was believing in myself. It did not come naturally to me to have the confidence that I could have my own business. Fortunately, my business with Arbonne has provided me an education on personal development that I had never imagined would come along with ‘selling lipstick’.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
I’ve learned that social media is spectacular for marketing my business. On a weekly basis I’m asked for a sample of a particular product and it’s not unusual for me to be at the post office once a week sending off samples all over the country. Just last week I shipped samples to New Zealand from the comfort of my home in Richmond, VA. I’m also very good at sharing the products and not ‘selling’ them. I’ve never wanted to be in retail or sales. When I’m introducing the business to new people I tend to get the ‘I hate sales’ response. I respond that I’m happy to hear that because this business is not about sales, it’s about relationships and offering a better alternative for products they would use anyhow. I also offer superb customer service. People remember when you are kind to them and treat them as a cherished client.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
This is a great question and one I love to answer. Five years now into my business I can look back and reflect on the challenges of adding even more to my plate. I was busy. I was a new mom, I worked full-time at a University and I wanted to be a partner with my husband in running the household. Consistency with my business was probably the biggest challenge. Honestly, if my business demanded I sell a certain quota of product each month I would not have survived. Arbonne does not put that pressure on you – it’s YOUR business – but you are never alone in your business. Another challenge was being a product of the product. We offer an amazing line of nutritional products and have a ’30 Days to Healthy Living’ program that I really needed to experience personally. The program has changed how I feel so tremendously that I’m able to be a testament to Arbonne’s nutritionals. Eating whole, clean foods isn’t as hard as it might seem.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I plugged in. Meaning, I took advantage of every free training calls offered by my mentor, read books, logged into Arbonne’s consultant training website area and continued to befriend other Arbonne consultants. We share information, lift each other up by celebrating each other. I like to say Arbonne consultants are ‘joined at the heart’. It’s a very cool tribe of people.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
My motivation is my WHY. I’ve been able to cut my hours to part time at my J-O-B and put more and more time into my Arbonne business which I don’t feel is a J-O-B; I love it. I’ve also had a life-long history of heart disease and have had two open heart surgeries. I realize that if I remain happy and healthy I will live life to its best.
How did you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
I distinguish myself from other competitors because I represent a company that offers products and a business opportunity that no one else can offer. We have a 36-year history of offering an ultra-premium line of products at a department store price. A huge majority of our population has never had the chance to use an ultra-premium product. You feel the difference immediately. Another way I distinguish myself is to offer someone to learn more about Arbonne. I never gush and pressure anyone to learn more. It’s a nice feeling to help someone with a skin issue or a food allergy – without ever having to feel like I had to convince them to try the product.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
To ‘Dream Big’ – I plan to continue to live life by design and create opportunities and freedoms for myself because no one will do that for me. I AM enough and I deserve enough.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
I have a special place in my heart for all entrepreneurs. It’s about us breaking the monotony of what our society believes we have to do to be successful. There is no reason why we have to build the success and salaries of others while begrudgingly working day to day in an office, for example, knowing it’s very unlikely you’ll be at the top where the boss is no matter how hard you work. Have you heard of the term ‘pyramid scheme’? Take a quick minute to imagine what someone in an entry level position of a big business looks like. Imagine the steps that person would have to travel to reach the top. Boom! A pyramid shape is formed. This was eye-opening for me to finally see. My business gives everyone the same opportunity and we all begin at the same level; it’s up to the individual to dive in and devour that opportunity. It’s pretty awesome. Oh, and I’d tell them to stick it out, be consistent and learn how to leverage your time by duplicating your efforts. Teachers teach. Successful entrepreneurs teach others to do what they do.
What is your favorite business tool or resource?
My favorite business tool is getting Arbonne samples into people’s hands. The ‘proof is in the pudding’. I also very much enjoy using Facebook. I have a personal business site where I can spotlight products, highlight achievements of my Arbonne colleagues and announce updates from our home office.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @LGPure
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LaurasHealthWellnessInsideOut/
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
I’ve recently read “Go Pro” by Eric Worre, “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy and “No Simple Highway: A Cultural History of the Grateful Dead” by Peter Richardson.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
I’m currently learning about ‘doing the do’ which means to not fret about arranging all the smaller, insignificant things in my business (organizing can over take me) but to actually take the action that will put me that much further ahead in my plan to create my own life; a life by design. For example, lining up my files on my desk neatly and shredding old documents is not necessarily moving my business ahead. It’s so easy to get caught up in the small stuff.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
My goal for October and November is to expand my business into a country other than the US. I’ve personally targeted Poland, Taiwan and or New Zealand but hey, Canada and the UK are wide-open as well. I am of Polish descent and my dream is to visit Poland. I figure the best way to do so is reach out to someone in Poland who is looking for this type of opportunity. The way for me to achieve these goals is to ‘put myself out there’. I love people and enjoy learning about their lives – sometimes a very natural segue into talking about what I do surfaces and it opens the doors so to speak.