Exploring the Possiblities of a Career Change

[jrb0328]

I have been watching the getting started dvd, your life your way, and have done the online training. i still have sooooo much more to learn and to review before my first show Thursday. I just got my kit today so I have all of my starter products and I am ready to start practicing my recipes. I am so psyched about this! My boyfriend thinks I am crazy!

While watching these dvds I have heard a lot about leaving a full time job to do this full time. thats great, it must be really nice to have that opportunity and those who have gotten that far must have worked really hard.

I am just curious as to how many people here have had that opportunity or have that as a goal?

 

[katie0128]

I have it as a goal, but wasn't serious enough about it last year, so I'm still working.

One of my sister consultants did quit her FT job before she began PC. She has been doing PC for about 9 months and is doing really well right now, but not making as much as she was in her FT job. I always thought that she was relying on her PC income to completely supplement her previous FT income. But after our last cluster meeting, she did confess to me that while they didn't want to touch it, she and her DH had agreed that they had enough $ in various savings accounts that they would be able to survive for a few years if her PC income didn't match her FT income. She also said that with this safety net, it wasn't as much of a leap for her to do PC full-time.

My DH and I are different. We need ALL of my income from my 2 PT jobs to meet our budget and don't have a "safety-net", so it isn't realistic for me to quit one of the jobs until I'm making the same amount in PC. Fortunately one of my jobs is as the financial secretary for my church and I can do it at home, anytime I want. But my other job is as a secretary at a local hospital. THAT is the one I want to quit, but unfortunately, that one pays the most as well.

If you are thinking about quitting a job (whether FT or PT), you need to be VERY realistic about your financial situation and what, if any, "safety net" you have. I really love doing PC, but being paid on commission inherently makes it more difficult to budget for... at least as compared to a "typical" corporate position. Your ability to budget for the change to doing PC FT also depends on your risk tolerance. I am NOT a risk taker, especially when it comes to finances. So for me to be comfortable with quitting my hospital job, I need to already be making that much with PC. However, some people are more willing to jump in faster... and that is fine as long as you are honest with yourself and know your limits.

 

[susanr613]

i am a single mom and very much averse to risk, so i would have to have quite an empire before i left my ft job - like sr or exec director. actually, i can only imagine as far as doing pc as my primary job and my current job as a contractor, rather than putting all my eggs in the pc basket. i'm a training designer and many of my peers work on a contract basis. i like being a training designer - i get to learn about a lot of different industries, b creative with my designs, and write.

as katie wrote, you have to do a lot of realistic thinking and be prepared for slow times.

 

[SUZIEQCONSULTANT]

I was one of those brave souls who left a business of my own to expand the Pampered Chef business. It has be over a year and a half and I have never looked back! You have to make up your mind that you will work this business everyday though to get where you can leave what your already doing. The 3-2-1, has to be done if not doubled. The economy in Michigan is not that great so it makes it even harder and you have to come up with inventive ways to market your business. I started offering kitchen clinics for specific categories like: power cooking, make ahead breakfasts, entertaining, and mini muffin clinics just to mention a few.
Another thing you must do is always be ready for business! Carry business cards, know your next two available dates, know the host and guest specials, make sure you do what you tell a person you will, like send them a recipe sheet, check into a use and care for a product. Always have something on you that let's people know you sell Pampered Chef. Make sure your answering machine lets everyone know who calls you sell Pampered Chef.
Above all, you have to ask for what you want. You have to make people want you to do a show for them. The new interactive shows have really helped with bookings. Plus, it's imperative you recruit! You need a solid downline to help you with the income issues and make sure you are helping your recruits to get them a solid booking schedule.
It can be done, but it takes a lot of sould searching and dedication. I wish you all the luck, but know it can be done!

 

[MissChef]

I did, I did!:thumbup:
I started my business in July of 1999, got pregnant with my daughter a couple months later and ended up on bed rest by my 6th month, I had a pretty good buisiness before this happened and it was easy for me to do catalog shows. I was spending all that bed rest time with my then little boy (he's not so little now!) and I just decided I couldn't go back to work, or it would break my heart! I decided to jump start the business 2 months after having my little girl and I have stayed home ever since (she is now almost 8!) I have been a director before and stepped down because I needed to for personal reasons but I have directorship in my sights again!

It takes a lot of consistency and determination! But if you look at yourself as a professional business woman and conduct yourself that way too, then it will work out! If you follow this 3-2-1 plan that they have set in action now, I can't see how you can fail, if that is what you want out of this business!
I love PC and everything it has done for me and my family!:love: :chef:

 

[redsoxgirl]

I have it as a goal so I can be a stay at home mom.
My director started out part time to pay for Christmas gifts and had a FT job - now she stays at home with her kids!

 

[trps]

I started PC for the products (6 shows and out) but then decided to do it to quit a part time job. I did in 2 months. I had a 2 year old and another on the way a few months after I started PC. After a few years I started making as much as my husband. I really wanted to go back to school to be a teacher, so I did. I did PC "full time" (pay not hours). He quit his job and stayed home with the kids while I worked and went to school and substitute taught school, took 2 1/2 years. Because my hours worked around my schedule he could be there whenever I had class or a show or was teaching. I just had my 10 year anniversary with PC and now I teach full time and do PC and make more doing PC than teaching. But I love both and wouldn't want to choose only one. And my husband still stays home. I see my kids all the time and my husband can keep them if there sick or take them to school if they miss the bus. I am at school while they are so my pc shows are the only time they are home with just DH instead of all of us together.

This business can be whatever you make of it!!

 

[finley1991]

As mentioned above, the biggest thing is taking your business seriously as a business. It's showing up everyday and WORKING on things that will help you earn money like making phone calls, recruiting calls, etc. It is ACTIVELY working your business... not being passive and say you're working... like making fliers, filing, reading the message boards etc. It is most definitely possible to make this a full-time career with full-time income. But it won't happen if it is viewed as a hobby and only doing one - two shows a month.Anything can be whatever you want it to be... it's a decision.

 

[merego]

I am very blessed because I am a stay at home mom and the income is my "mad money" since my DH seems to think I have a shopping addiction. I am a people person and love being out so this gets me out of the house after being with my adorbale kids all day and gets me the social interaction I crave.
I am doing this with the intention of being a director or above in a few years when my kids go off to school because I do want to work but have a job that is flexible for my family.
I commend all of you that work full time and do PC, you are all awesome and should be very proud of your accomplishments

 

[kcont]

I still work FT but do have a FT PC business as my goal. I'm alsways up front with anyone who joins. I tell everyone that this is NOT a get rich quick scheme, however you will find that you WILL get out of it what you put into it. I can work my fingers to the bone at my other job but i will still make the same amount of money, however with the PC I get a direct result with my efforts. In my mind I have complete control over my destiny!!!

BTW I'm only 2 shows from promoting to AD!!! Even with working a FT job!!

 

[Lisa/ChefBear]

I started offering kitchen clinics for specific categories like: power cooking, make ahead breakfasts, entertaining, and mini muffin clinics just to mention a few.

Could you please share these, maybe these would work in my area?? Recipes, tips something to get me started.

Thanks so much, reading everything everyone has posted as made me think about my business a little differently.


Lisa
(Who's been sliding in lots of parts of business and now ready
to PICK up and get moving again!!)

 

[jrb0328]

I have also been planning on doing this for x shows and then stop but i have already had a few people beyond my first bookings who are interested so i think like many, i might have a change of heart! everyone seems so happy and i really think i will enjoy this