I started my journey out of school as a commissioned cosmetologist. My specialty was chemical work I was very good at designing new looks through coloring, highlighting and chemical permanent wave's. If I knew then what I know now I would have never started into that profession. Don't get me wrong I loved the design part of cosmetology and our customers. What I didn't like or should I say my body didn't like.. was the chemicals.
Finally my doctor convinced me that I needed to move into another profession when I was down to 82 lbs. and constantly getting sinus attacks and big headaches.
I then went into Direct Marketing in the early 90's with World Book Encyclopedia, going door to door selling books and put hundreds of miles on my car. I did very well with that company winning a trip to AZ for selling 30+ sets of encyclopedia's in a months time. Not an easy feat in our rural area. Hence the many miles put on my car. I then made a really dumb move and let another book company recruit me and 6 weeks later they went bankrupt.
From there I went to Nikken Corp. Yes, I was known for a short time as the Magnet lady. With this companies as most MLM's I was taught to market to my friends and family. My Dad asked me when I was going to get a real job! This was before the internet had even made it to KS.
After showing the Nikken Magnets to all of my friends and family our rural area in KS I became a member of the
NFL club Can you say
NO FRIENDS LEFT? This penguin reminds me what my family and friends probably wanted to do to me back then.
With mounting debt and no real income coming in I started looking for a way to work from home. My husband was so thankful that I had finally come to my senses... That's when I jumped into the non-profit world. I had read that non-profits were sometimes willing to let you work from home to save on expenses. I got my first salaried job as a Community Director for the
March of Dimes. Basically I was taught to be a professional fundraiser. Yes the hours were flexible and I did get to work some at home, but I was only paid for 30 hours and working sometimes 60 hours a week... not a deal..
I started my search again for something I could do on my own and work commission like I was used to at the same time having the salary to pay the bills. That's when I was introduced to
Shaklee I really checked out the company before joining determined not the make another mistake and be burned. Shaklee did have a soft spot in my heart because my great aunt used to sell Shaklee Products and I remember going to my Grandma's house and having a Basic H bath. After thoroughly checking out Shaklee and realizing Shaklee
has spent more money in research and development for their products than the March of Dimes a national non-profit was investing into research I decided something need to change and started my
Barefoot in the Garden Business.
Well little did I know at the time but the March of Dimes was in the process of downsizing in the rural areas leaving me without the JOB. I really wanted to just stay home and build my Barefoot business, but my husband wasn't near as confident as I was. When a JOB came open for another National non-profit, I applied to keep peace in the family. I was hired on and right away went to work helping people 55+ get training and employment. I really excelled with that company called
"Green Thumb" and was promoted to State Director for KS in about a year.
At the same time I was steadly growing my
Barefoot in the Garden business qualifying for the new directors convention in San Francisco, CA. After the free trip, my husband decided
Shaklee was OK and I had his support again.
Working for "Green Thumb" I learned a lot about how other people live and how they sometimes struggle in life.
I realized I had a talent for taking people at their lowest point of their life and picking them up, brushing them off and turning their life around. I was able to help someone who had lived in the VA Hospital for over 20 years on total government support get training, a job, find a place to live and be totally off government support. There are many others I could talk about, but helping that Veteran is one of my fondest memories.
All Great Men and Women became Successful because the gave some talent or ability in the Service of Others...
I guess the reason I mention this is, if I was able to help so many people who many have struggled all of their life,
I can help you follow in my footsteps and be successful on the net too. By the way that JOB ended when the Dept. of Labor didn't refund our grant. At the time this was devastating for me and my staff. Now I think back and know it was a blessing for me. This time no one was going to stop me from going full-time my own business. I already had a good base built I just needed to expand it.
Thank Goodness for the Internet and Today's technology!
I think of the internet as a big ocean and either you sink or swim. Through much trial and error I've pretty much been through it all and have come out not just swimming, but have found several great places to do business.
The Social Marketing distribution business model and the direct sales arena has afforded me the supreme pleasure of working from our farm surrounded by the things and people I love. 
The Answers are found within you... You already have the answers to life's questions... All you need to do is look, listen within, and trust your intuitive powers
"Learn from the mistakes of others -- you can never live long enough to make them all yourself"
After showing the Nikken Magnets to all of my friends and family our rural area in KS I became a member of the NFL club Can you say NO FRIENDS LEFT? This penguin reminds me what my family and friends probably wanted to do to me back then.
All Great Men and Women became Successful because the gave some talent or ability in the Service of Others...
This picture was taken right after Matt our oldest son and Kristen's Wedding.(Jan '07) They both are graduates of Kansas State University and have the cutest little boy's and n a "lil miss." Words can't even express how joy being a Grandparent is, and as you can imagine can do NO wrong. We have many pictures on Facebook of the little ones!
I can't really say I'm helping train them, because I'm just a big chicken when it comes to starting mules to ride for the first time. I have ridden, shown, participated in drill teams, parade's you name it I've probably done or tried to do it from horse back. I can remember one time my sisters and I were suppose to be cleaning up around the farm... so we got the bright idea to attach an old tire with a rope an tie it on to the bareback pad of the horse that I was riding. 
Here is my business name and logo that I use for my business. My tag line is: Cindy.. Mom with 2 kids a husband and a farm full of animals chasing them til I'm 90.
I think most businesses have especially when they start out. I went to a small business training several years ago put on by the US Small Business Admin. When they told me to expect to work 3 to 5 years before you show a profit I about fell off my chair...
In order to be successful at anything you need to have a strong why. For me that strong why is my kids, grandchildren, and all of the generations to follow after them. I don't know about you but I would do about anything to help my kids. I don't know if everyone has this strong motherly instinct. I want to set an example, a path for them to follow if they choose to.