Michigan Single Mom’s Business Soars Despite Severe Health Challenge, Recession
JENISON, MICH.(March 6, 2016) – Finding work in a tough economy is hard enough, but this single mom found success while dealing with an even more daunting problem: Narcolepsy.
“Life takes some interesting twists,” said Laurie Ayers, a mom of two in Jenison, Mich. “I never thought I’d be supporting my family with wax!” She credits working at home and the home fragrance business Scentsy and its wickless candles and scents for saving the day.
This smiling, redhead single mother lives with a-typical narcolepsy, a chronic neurological disorder that affects the part of the brain that regulates sleep and wake cycles. It is characterized by overwhelming drowsiness and difficulty staying awake. There is no cure. Medication and lifestyle changes at best can only manage symptoms – though with little success and strong side effects.
Contrary to stereotypes, narcolepsy is not related to depression, seizure disorders, fainting, lack of sleep or other conditions that cause abnormal sleep patterns. “Lazy, or depressed, that’s exactly what many people think,” Ayers said.
And, despite enduring narcolepsy for most of her life, Ayers worked outside the home with a career with the Federal Government. But as her narcolepsy progressed, she was no longer able to keep her eyes open to work a traditional eight-to-five job.
As a single parent living with a medical disability, Ayers faced and met the challenges of being both provider and primary caregiver to her children head-on by going into business for herself. She has done so for the last thirteen years.
With a grin, Ayers said “My background is Homeland Security and Deception. I started working from home with a business that focused on personal safety and reading others. I am still very passionate about the subject matter and enjoy educating others about it. Though back in 2007 most of my clients were from the federal government, so when their budgets dried up, so did my business. Back then my security business also began to feel the pinch of the economy; I knew I needed to do something to keep the mortgage paid and my children fed.”
Ayers said she has also been in and out of the direct sales industry since the 1980s; including representing Scentsy Wickless candles as an Independent Superstar Director since 2006. “When the security contracts slowed, I was blessed to have my Scentsy business to turn to,” she said.
Combining her talent for marketing with her love of helping others start and sustain their own home-based businesses, Ayers found a winning combination. Maintaining a successful direct sales business involves serious talent; one must juggle the day-to-day operations of business that include working with customers and potential new team members, but must be equally able to mentor and effectively communicate with existing team members to help them grow their own businesses.
The past ten years with Scentsy proved that Ayers is more than capable of meeting both requirements. Her experienced hands and business skills provided the winning combination for her Scentsy team.
Meet Laurie Ayers, Successful Entrepreneur.
Ayers was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has made her home in west Michigan for the past fifty-some years. While she never planned to be a Scentsy lady, she feels blessed to be part of the company every day.
Many direct selling consultants earn their income by offering their products at home parties. Because of Ayers’ narcolepsy, she isn’t able to schedule home parties or work her business using those platforms. Grinning, Ayers said her secret is that “Scentsy allows the consultants to work their businesses using a number of different methods, including Internet Marketing. My business is entirely online. I work it from my couch in between naps.”
She attributes her success to her website and her Facebook team training site. “It’s working smarter, not harder,” she said. “I make the information available to my team members so they can be independent business owners, not dependent business owners. It’s a win/win. I don’t have to repeat answering the same frequently asked questions to each new person, and likewise, they have 24/7 access to the tools they need to be successful.”
The sites also help manage Ayers’ disorder. “It may seem like I sleep all the time, when in actuality I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in more than 30 years.” Ayers’ Failure is Not an Option attitude is contagious and the fact that she enjoys helping others is obvious. It’s clear that this entrepreneur cares for her team members: her careful and professional approach helped her team successfully grow into all fifty states, Europe and Australia.
Her tone turned serious as she said, “I get great satisfaction from providing my team members accurate, timely responses to their questions and concerns. The business skills I learned are transferable, no matter if I’m working for the Federal Government, or working from home, half asleep, propped up with a pillow.”
For additional information about Laurie Ayers and her success with working from home, please visit: https://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com
It is always good to see people in our area succeed. Jobs are definitely hard to come by, here and in many other places around the country. Some enterprising people refuse to let that keep them down, and instead they create their own jobs. Kudos to you, and I wish you much success.
Hi beautiful lady, so glad we ”met” online and had our chat. You have inspired and empowered me.
I now feel more confident that I can be a successful consultant/SSD despite my health and other situations.
I absolutely LOVE THIS!!!! You are proof that anyone can do this and what an inspiration you are!!
Thank you. I didn’t say it would be easy. But I will say it’s been worth it.