I have been in Mary Kay for almost 11 Years! I studied abroad in Australia and met my good friend Rachel Madson.  I signed up just a few days before Christmas while Rachel was visiting and out here wedding dress shopping.  Her and her family picked me up in the Pink Cadillac Escalade and that day changed my life!  I really noticed that day how much joy, passion and confidence they each had.  They traveled the world and loved their life and I wanted my mom to be in their space.  I also noticed how great their skin looked and knew my mom could really use the products.  During that time our family was going through a really difficult time with my father just recently diagnosed with a rare brain cancer and was being treated at UCSF.

At the end of the day, I turned to them and said “You ladies should sign my mom up, I think she would be great at owning her own MK business!”

They turned to me and said Shannon you should sign up and sign your mom up.  They were smart and knew that my mom was not going to do Mary Kay, she needed to watch me to see that this could be something for her.  I signed up thinking that I would at least get my products at 50% off and show my mom that this was a good opportunity.  When my starter kit arrived I put it in my closet and didn’t even open it I was so scared.  I had a million reasons why I thought I wouldn’t be good at this.  I had horrible skin and had been seeing a dermatologist for 8 years, I had tried everything and I was still struggled with really bad acne.  I also wasn’t from Napa and didn’t know very many people, I wasn’t sure who I would start with.  Since I loved my career as a Dental Hygienist and in Napa I was paid really well, I had great benefits, retirement, paid vacation and sick time.  I thought I had it made and was not looking at this opportunity as a career.

I started using all the products and my horrible skin started to improve.  I had my first party with a woman my mom knew, she invited 5 of her friends from her apartment complex and they purchased $600 worth of products.  I left there realizing I made $300 in two hours and despite all the fear I thought I can learn to like this.  I have two women from that party that still purchase products from me. Today, 11 years later, that is really great residual income!

I got excited about making an extra $1000 a month to pay off my student loans quicker and get out of debt.  I didn’t have a lot of time working a full time job and commuting back and forth to UCSF to be with my dad but I fit in two parties a week consistently and was making more than $1000 a month.  I  went on target for my Mary Kay Car on my 3^rd month of working my business and that got me excited.   I took full advantage of the marketing plan and the commissions, since our company pays us very well!  I still worked a full time job for the first year in a half of my business, I just made sure I was working smart not hard. Another 6 months went by and I was driving my second free Mary Kay car,  I was the first person in Northern California to pick up the beautiful limited edition Mary KAY Black Mustang! It had black leather interior and the interior lighting was pink, it was so beautiful & I remember going to pick it up at the dealership with my family and watching my dads face & seeing him so proud, it is a memory I will never forget.

My husband started to track the income I was making in my Mary Kay business and said to me could you only imagine if you had more time to work your business, what you could do.  I was still not thinking that this was ever going to be a career, so I cut back to part time for awhile and then I realized I needed to do the scariest and hardest thing, which was to quit my job.  I can honestly say I never look back and it was the best decision I ever made. We ended up earning our first Pink Cadillac 4 months later.   My sister and mom quickly caught on after being really skeptical. My mom earned 2 free cars while being able to care for my father and my sister has earned 6 free cars one of them being the prestigious  Pink Cadillac.

I was able to pay off all my debt with my Mary Kay business, I paid for a dream wedding  that over looked the ocean. And we paid cash!  We have been able to pay for fabulous vacations and because of the flexibility and income to match we were able to make so many memories with my father during his battle with brain cancer.  My business has afforded us to make so many wonderful memories!

When we started our businesses, my mom, sister and I were in a valley, it was difficult but we did it because we believed we could.  Sure there were obstacles and difficulties, but we made a decision to keep moving forward and not quit no matter what.  It was a decision to do whatever it took.

We really believe that because of this Mary Kay opportunity and all the positivity that it has brought into our lives it gave so much more purpose to live life to the fullest and gave us so much hope for a brighter future.  (My father was only given a few months to live but he ended up living another 5 years and he loved our Mary Kay businesses and was so proud!)We felt so much love from our Mary Kay family, they were always praying for him and showering us with cards. Our culture is truly unique.

You never know in life what is going to happen, it is so smart to not only have a plan B but to also build something up for yourself that no one can ever take away so that you always have that security.

I believe that we have choices and in this company we get to choose our level of success, that means we get to create our preferred life!

We get paid what we are worth and not just what a job is worth.

Now today I have my son Carson who is 6 years old and my little girl Olivia who just turned turned 1.  I absolutely love the life that I have created for my family.  I don’t have to worry when they sick about having to stay home with them.  I’m surrounded by unconditional love and support through this company.  I’m so glad I get to raise confident little human beings because of the choices I made to step out of my comfort zone and give something new a try.