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Mom Boss Success Stories: MLM Edition

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Have you been thinking about working for yourself? Or already rocking it as a boss mom?

As a work from home mom, I’ve always found it both inspiring and motivational to hear other mom’s business success stories.  I love hearing how they got started and what it has taken for them to get where they currently are in their business. Every story is so fun and unique!

No matter what niche or route you’re taking for your mom boss business, you’ve probably figured out by now that it takes a lot of perseverance, organization, and grace.  Which is bascially what we do each day rasing our kids anyways- it’s exactly why moms are made to be bosses in my opinion! 🙂 

Over the next few months, I want to provide  you with inspirational stories from women of all walks of life and business niches.  I hope it will help you remember why you got into working at home to begin with. These stories can help you keep gaining momentum or provide you with a much needed kick in the butt- whichever you need 😉  

This week’s theme is MLMs- or multilevel marketing companies. This topic hasn’t been covered much on Mom Blog Life- but it is a very viable option and these women’s stories prove it. 

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Network Marketing as a Mom Boss

Companies that use multi-level marking (MLM) or network marketing to generate sales and income are on the rise. I’m sure you’ve noticed there are a lot of mixed opinions about MLMs and a lot of them are misrepresented. I was surprised by how many negative articles popped up when I was doing research for this article. 

For example, there is a lot of negativity for MLMs around the notion that many of these business are just “legal pyramid schemes.” I’m not sure how this idea came to mind- but with the federal regulations for running as an MLM- this simply isn’t true. Additionally, some of us have had bad experiences with marketing techniques that feel pushy- but that’s totally dependent on the person you are interacting with.

There are some really promising numbers for MLMs worldwide.  With most of these business growing rapidly, having an extremely low cost for getting started, and no income cap- the potential is limitless. 

Regardless of your opinions or experiences with MLMs, the bottom line is that they work.  Just like anything else worth pursuing to achieve sustainable income, making a profitable business in direct sales takes consistent work. 

Related article: 40 Side Hustles for Moms to Earn Money from Home

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The magic of direct sales

While some people may find MLM sales to be pushy, it is truly one of the oldest ways to conduct business and grow sustainably. 

The reason MLMs work is because of the brands themselves. More often than not, women find a product that they love- either at a party or by searching online- and become a customer. As their love for a product grows, they see the potential in selling the company’s products. 

When a seller truly loves and uses the products they are selling, it is a game changer. Their authenticiy shows through as they tell you about all the benefits and why you should try the products too. If you’ve ever had a bad experience with someone selling products or selling them yourself, it’s probably because the product wasn’t the right fit for you.

This happened to me in 2019.  I had started working from home as a writer and blogger and was trying to figure out other possible income streams. Suddenly, one day I was chatting with a lady from a gut health company. I thought it was serenditpitous because I had just gotten done doing a ton of research on gut health for my blog and was interested in trying a supplement for myself anyways. So I jumped right into using the product myself and thinking I would try to sell it to others… 

Long story short, my one year attempt at direct sales failed.  I’ll admit I never put much effort into it and only found 2 customers. In hindsight, the product and company weren’t a good fit for me and I realized I should have actually tried the product before I jumped right into selling (I tried the product while I was selling it- and ended up not liking it for my own personal use).  

Related article: 6 Tips to Help You Set Up a Small Home Office

How to find an MLM company that works for you

If you’ve ever thought about joining an MLM- here are some criteria to keep in mind when getting started in your search:

  • Do your due diligence on a company
  • Choose a company that resonates with you- this means you should be using their products yourself or at least be interested in using them yourself
  • Find a company mentor that you want to work and connect with- whether it family, friends, or someone you find online- find a mentor that keeps you motivated and wants to help you grow
  • Find a company that offers workshops for building your business

Plus, ask yourself these questions:

  • How long has the company been in business?
  • Who’s behind the business? Do they have a good track record?
  • Do you like the company’s products?
  • What kind of support do they offer to help you build your business?
  • Do they have a community you can see yourself being a part of?
  • How do you actually make money? What are your margins?

Related article: 47+ at Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today

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Meet Morgan Crawford- Successful Boss Mom #1

Amazingly, I knew Morgan as a distant acquaintance in high school in Montana where we both grew up. Then, we were the only two in our class of 600 to decide to go to the University of Nevada, Reno.  I’ve had the privilege of keeping in touch with her over the years and it’s been fun to see her grow as a person and in her business from afar on social media.  

She is now a super inspirational boss mom rocking the work form home gig and mom life to the max. I’m so happy I can share her story with you today to show you just how much potential lies in an MLM when it aligns with you are. Here is her story!

Tell us a little about yourself

I am a mom to two kiddos! Bria just turned 3 and Carter is 15 months. I am a wife to a very busy husband who works 15-18 hour days as a medical device rep. I am basically a single mom. My days are abundantly blessed for sure with the busyness and I for sure go to bed blissfully exhausted. From waking them up to putting to bed I barely catch a break! I finally got help back since Covid. Which has been a lifesaver. I always thought I wanted to be a FULL time stay at home mom. But, what I realized is that I love having something for me to give me that escape and a sense of passion and purpose and a mission to fulfill! I love being outdoors. I am from Montana, lived in Reno for college and now we have been in the Bay area for 10 years. Currently beach side in Half Moon Bay. We visit the ocean 3-4 days a week, go hiking, swimming, and always find us at home relaxing or adventuring. 

What are you passionate about?

My passions are helping people improve their health from the inside out!  I grew up having stomach issues that no one could figure out! I wanted to keep searching for answers. And through that journey realized others struggled as well. I was on a mission to find solutions. I love diving into healthy eating, fitness, products, getting certifications, and helping people ditch the diet mindset, avoid food confusion and find sustainable ways of eating to look and feel their best!

How did you get into an MLM?

I had a TURNING point my life. It didn’t meet the expectations I had. I was tired, exhausted working 6 jobs and 80 hours, I wasn’t feeling fulfilled, my schedule owned me and I had no options to get me out of it. My life was going backwards. Not only that, my health was at its worst. I got introduced to Arbonne when I was in college. I never wanted to go to college. But, my parents made me!

I was going to school for Criminal Justice and on the side working as a makeup artist for MAC, Bobby Brown, and Chanel…that was my passion. I got hired to work the Beyonce concert doing makeup and by the 14th girl I was exhausted so I called a friend of mine who was a celebrity artist and she used Arbonne on me. I absolutely fell in LOVE with the product. It was the first time in a long time I felt good in my skin and didn’t have the feeling of wearing a ton of makeup. In the short time I had with her, while she gave me a facial with the skin care and makeover, she mentioned how it was a clean and safe line. Since, I specialized in bridal makeup, I  was really looking for something that my brides wouldn’t break out with…

I immediately fell in love with this idea of clean, safe products. I was on my own health mission and realizing great makeup starts with great skin, and great skin starts internally.  I was so naive to ingredients. I began to do my research and realized how bad the products I was using on myself and others were. I immediately switched my brands and freelanced myself with my Arbonne makeup kit and started on the 30 days to healthy living.

How did you decide which one was right for you?

The tug on my heart! My friend actually didn’t sell the product- so she introduced me to her rep so I could buy some product. I went to an Arbonne overview and immediately had a tug on my heart that this was something I wanted to do. I actually had no clue about network marketing. But, this was exactly everything I secretly dreamed about having in my life as a business and a passion for. Aside from having that tug on my heart about the business and products I valued my friends opinion and also there was something really special about these women I was introduced to. They became like my second moms since I had no family near. Took me under their wing and I loved the culture.

I dabbled in the business while continuing through college. Started stopped…you know the stories you always hear how it didn’t work out because they didn’t really work it. Yeah, that was me the first time around. Then, that 4th year we were broke as a joke. Could barely breathe between the bills. I was working 6 jobs, had to shut off our cable because we couldn’t afford it. So that was decision day for me. My boyfriend then, now my husband, said… If you really gave arbonne your all and worked it like a business you would be incredible. So I did. I took his advice. The only one person who believed in me and ran with this.

So the second time when I gave it my all we decided this was going to be our business because we did our research this time and chose Arbonne because of how long the brand was around, it met our standards of how we wanted to live, the people we wanted to surround ourselves with, the culture, mission, wide product range, consumable products, and hands down ingredient policy.

Can you give us one golden nugget on how to build a sustainable business that you’ve learned?

Don’t quit>>Consistency is key. You can work this business part time but not sometimes. Treat it like a business and it will pay you like a business.

Can you tell us one lesson you’ve learned the hard way with your business?

I quit the first time around when it got hard. I couldn’t even imagine my life where it would be if I actually used those first 4 years to grow a business and not have been so worried about what my friends and family thought of me. Lesson learned- listen to your intuition & lean into the hard.

Any last thoughts to someone thinking about getting started?

Don’t build anyone else’s dream but yours! I built my parents dream of me going to college and doing what they wanted me to do for so long. I finally had that tug on my heart that said life is SO short. DO what you love. Dont let anyone’s opinion of you or what you want to do hold you back from building the life you want to live. 

Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one that’s going to help you grow! If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down! It’s time to start being the person you were meant to be, not the person you think everyone else wants you to be! This is your only, one life to live so make it count.

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Get in touch with Morgan

Wow-she has some solid advice, right?! Now she’s living the life she wants. I ocassionally see amazing vacation photos and I remember being super impressed when she earned a Mercedes with Arbonne several years ago.

But those perks don’t even matter since her true success is having the freedom to design her own life on her own terms! I always thought that getting cars from MLMs (like they do with pink Mary Kay cars) was just a big old lie- she’s proof that its not! 🙂 

Want to get in touch with Morgan? Find all of her information on Arbonne here. She runs fun Facebook pop-up groups ocassionally for building a healthy lifestyle like this one too. She has a big heart and loves helping people find their way in health and business. 

Related article: How to Be Productive When You’re a Mom that Works from Home

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Meet Heather Stark

This next amazing mom is a lady I simply met through social media. When I was building my own healthy habits blog, I found her healthy habits Facebook group and absolutely loved what she had to offer. We chatted for a while on FB messenger and realized we have a lot in common- like loving nature, trying to live healthy, and much more. If we lived in the same state- I think we’d be great friends 😉  

Nowadays, I love seeing what she’s up to, since it usually involves a great sense of humor and being outside in nature with her girls.  Her story is an amazing one too showing just how much freedom can lie in joining an MLM: here it is!

Tell us a little about yourself 

My name is Heather Stark and I live in Colorado. I was born and raised in the best part of the state! I went to college to play soccer as well as get a BS in elementary education in Tennessee. I taught 9 years before I became a mom, and 3 more years as a mother and teacher. I retired from teaching in 2015 after having my second child and working from home while raising them. I have two daughters, 8 and 5, and I do a hybrid of homeschool/public school with them. I also am starting an iris farm on the western slope of Colorado and in a few years going to be selling them! All doing this while also running a home-based business.


My husband is a wildland firefighter and during the summers is off chasing fires while we stay home. We have been married 13 years. He is actually the one who “forced” me into the home-based business realm.

How did you get into an MLM?

In 2011, I was working 65+ hours a week as an elementary school teacher and coaching high school soccer another 20+ hours a week. I was sick and tired of the rat race and knew I didn’t want to continue it once having a family. I loved the Juice Plus products and had been taking them for 8 months because let’s be honest, no one gets enough fruits and veggies in their diet, and I couldn’t resist the delicious fruit and veggie gummies!

I was already sharing it with my friends and family and sending referrals to my friend. So, in June of 2011 I started my own business. That summer my husband and I moved to a new city and I started a new job teaching in the fall. The following summer we had our first daughter and I was able to stay home for a whole semester because of my Juice Plus paycheck. I went back to work the spring semester of 2013 and continued teaching until we had our second child in May of 2015. I was able to “retire” from my teaching position and work Juice Plus full time from home at that time. My Juice Plus paycheck took over my full time teaching salary. I have been working from home ever since.

Because of my paycheck with the JP company, when we didn’t have a renter in one of our houses for over 8 months, my paycheck was put towards the mortgage. When we moved back to Montrose, we had 3 mortgages for a few months. Because of JP, I was able to pay those with my paycheck. This business has given me the opportunity to be with my kids and take trips during the week/school days when I wouldn’t have been able to on a teaching salary/schedule.

How did you decide which one was right for you?

Interesting question because the only other one that I knew about was **** and I was and still not into make-up, skin care, and honestly, their product wasn’t as good as Juice Plus (taste wise as well as nutritionally)

There were no quotas, it was a very small start up fee, which with just my own personal order, I was able to get that first investment back, and I could work it as fast or as slow as I wanted to. I really wasn’t informed about the ins and outs of the business or product, but because I was already having success sharing it when I was just taking it, I figured WHY NOT!? Then I met the community behind JP and fell in love with the people and their mission. 

Can you give us one golden nugget on how to build a sustainable business that you’ve learned?

Just like anything new, you need to give it time and DO what is expected. If you don’t talk to anyone, you won’t make a sale. So, you have to get out of your comfort zone and just ask people. If you don’t ask you will never know. But the biggest is perseverance. It is like a roller coaster. There are ups and downs. If you let the downs take over, you won’t ever see growth like you want it. So, stick with it.

Can you tell us one lesson you’ve learned the hard way with your business?

Don’t assume someone isn’t interested because they don’t ever ask you about it. Most of the time, they don’t really know what you do anyway! So, just start a conversation.

Any last thoughts to someone thinking about getting started?

Jump in. Ask questions as you go. Don’t try and research and learn everything before you talk to someone. Do what your sponsor/upline tells you to do and DO it. You learn as you fail, and there will be failure. Be okay with that! And don’t… I SAID, “DON’T” put your business as a prerequisite for friendship. Your friends and family should know that whatever happens, they are going to feel your LOVE and respect even if they aren’t a customer. 

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Get in touch with Heather

I love Heather’s no B.S. approach to building her business. When I joined her healthy habits Facebook group to see what other mamas were doing for home businesses, she totally chatted me up about the benefits of Juice Plus. But she was never pushy and I’m glad that we are now connected.

Her lifestyle is a true inspiration for what you can have if you have the flexbility to work from home. She is proof that hard work and getting out of your comfort zone can pay off.  Want to get in touch with Heather? Check out her Juice Plus store here. Join her healthy habits group or even check out her new iris farm (it’s pretty cool!). 

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Related article: Legitimate Work from Home Jobs

What business is right for you?

There are SO many options out there for working from home.  Pretty much all of them have great potential. I had never planned to work from home until I found myself 8 months pregnant, bored, and wondering what I was going to do with my life as a new mom (I was in between job contracts as a travelling Physical Therapist).  

I’ll admit as I started researching the possibilities I initially thought I didn’t have what it takes to work from home without working for $1- an hour as a customer service agent (another option!). Then, I stumbled upon community after community of amazing mom’s rocking their lives from home while raising their kids. 

My biggest piece of advice is this: don’t chase the shiny objects 🙂  Choose a company or niche (or two if you’re feeling really ambitious) that fits your skills and resonates best with you and go with it.  Go all in and give it your best shot- that’s the only way to gain the success you’re looking for! That’s how I ended up in the world of writing and blogging- and I absoutely love it.

Don’t forget we have entire series on the website dedicated to helping you find your perfect work form home job such as:

What type of business is calling to you?  Do you want to sell products that you love from a company you trust? Then joining an MLM might be a no-brainer for you.  I’d to hear about your success stories and plans for the future- so reach out to me on a a message or email me at [email protected].

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