At age thirty, Kari Willis was already well into a life of climbing the corporate ladder in marketing and business development. She had all the benefits and comfort that come with a stable and lucrative career, and with a six figure income, she felt she was right where she needed to be. “I really thought that I was on the right path, and I was certainly on the path that people easily identify as the road to success.” That path diverged when she and her husband started their family, and when Kari became pregnant in 2011, she started to rethink everything.
While on maternity leave, she had a strong feeling that going back to her job full-time after her baby was born was not a sustainable plan. “There was no way I could be a hands-on mother and take care of a newborn while working twelve or more hours a day, which was what I had been doing.” She reluctantly went back to work, though it cost her some amazing moments with her child. “When my daughter crawled for the first time, I wasn’t there because I was stuck in a corporate office. Having to hear someone tell you about one of your child’s “firsts” instead of getting to be there yourself just breaks your heart. I decided that was never going to happen again.” A friend mentioned Rodan + Fields® as a possible alternative, and she saw an opportunity she couldn’t refuse. Five months after her daughter was born, she started her Rodan + Fields business so she could focus on being a new mom.
As a businesswoman, Kari understands the concept of a return on investment, and since joining Rodan + Fields as an Independent Consultant less than two years ago, she has been able to combine her marketing background and business sense with her skill of building relationships. “The most attractive aspect of this business opportunity for me is that you get your return on investment, but much more than that is you also get a return on relationships.” She describes the business as lifestyle marketing, and allows the lifestyle she is able to enjoy be an example to others.
Now thirty-three, she has a two year-old and a three month-old at home, and she hasn’t missed any of the milestones in their lives. She controls her own time, and loves the idea that she can share this business opportunity with people just by living her life and meeting new people. “When people see me at the park in the middle of the day with my kids, they get a picture of what my life is like. I don’t have to try to sell the business because it speaks for itself. I’m not telling, I’m showing.” She says that the key to growing her business is that she always has it on the forefront of her mind. Whether she is at preschool, a coffee shop, or the park, she puts herself in situations where she is able to talk to people, and show them how their lives could be if they choose to join her team. She also uses social media as a way to connect and reach out to people without even having to leave the house.
As a businesswoman, Kari understands the concept of a return on investment, and since joining Rodan + Fields as an Independent Consultant less than two years ago, she has been able to combine her marketing background and business sense with her skill of building relationships. “The most attractive aspect of this business opportunity for me is that you get your return on investment, but much more than that is you also get a return on relationships.” She describes the business as lifestyle marketing, and allows the lifestyle she is able to enjoy be an example to others.
Now thirty-three, she has a two year-old and a three month-old at home, and she hasn’t missed any of the milestones in their lives. She controls her own time, and loves the idea that she can share this business opportunity with people just by living her life and meeting new people. “When people see me at the park in the middle of the day with my kids, they get a picture of what my life is like. I don’t have to try to sell the business because it speaks for itself. I’m not telling, I’m showing.” She says that the key to growing her business is that she always has it on the forefront of her mind. Whether she is at preschool, a coffee shop, or the park, she puts herself in situations where she is able to talk to people, and show them how their lives could be if they choose to join her team. She also uses social media as a way to connect and reach out to people without even having to leave the house.
Kari, by way of example, is a natural leader who has opened the door for many others who want to change their lives in some way. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, that is what makes a leader.” She finds it particularly rewarding to help parents with young kids, because she knows how precious that time is, and you can’t get it back once it’s over. Every day there is something new, and being there the first time your child laughs, takes their first steps, or rides a bicycle is priceless. Her future goal is to be able to retire her husband, and envisions their future together as free of time constraints, with the financial freedom to show their children the world, and be present for every milestone in their lives. But her ultimate goal is to spread the word about Rodan + Fields and see it help as many people as possible.
For Kari, it’s not just a job, but a gift, because it’s the gift of time. “I see people on my team who have been able to do so many things because of this business opportunity, from paying a preschool bill to moving to a new home in the city where they want to be. But what brings tears to my eyes is knowing someone is not missing a single moment with their children and family. Knowing that I’ve played a role in helping others achieve this balance is a wonderful feeling. When you have the ability to help people be the mothers they want to be, to give a child their mom back, and bring people closer together, then that’s when you know you’re on the right path.”
- See more stories that illustrate how Rodan and Fields is truly "Changing Skin and Changing Lives" at: http://redefine.rodanandfields.com/blog
- See more stories that illustrate how Rodan and Fields is truly "Changing Skin and Changing Lives" at: http://redefine.rodanandfields.com/blog