Tell us a bit about your business ?

I am an independent wine consultant with WineShop at Home. I am a business owner marketing boutique wines, gift baskets, premier wine clubs, corporate gift giving and more.

I have a website www.TASTEOURWINE.com and also do in person and over the phone sales and recruiting. WineShop is the fastest growing in home tasting company in America and I sell very exclusive wines from the California region.I LOVE what I do!

Were you always interested in wine?

Wine is a living thing..So fascinating and a multi billion dollar industry. Wine is the top alcoholic beverage consumed in the world. In my opinion, one of the best industries to get into because of the “drinking wine and throwing parties for a living” idea. My dream has been to Live the Wine Country Lifestyle and my business is helping me achieve that.

I will be going to Spain (company paid trip for two) for Harvest and will be experiencing their wines and processes. I am excited to learn the Spanish Culture and taste authentic Spanish Wines.

Is your business only based in U.S.A ? If so are you planning to expand internationally ?

We can only direct ship to the United States currently and have a limited shipping service area of 26 states currently (open new states all the time though). Alcohol laws are different and stricter in some states. Once we open all 50 states in the United States, I am sure we will see what we can do internationally.

Can you tell us the most effective bit of marketing you have ever done?

The most effective marketing I have done and still do is Network Marketing. I love to introduce all types of people to this business opportunity because we are still groundbreaking and people can earn an unlimited amount of income. People who drink wine or love to entertain/socialize definitely do extremely well with this wine business. I love to help others and be a support system. I build my team through referrals, internet advertising and through my guiding wine tastings. I love sharing my passion with others who have the same drive.

What are some of the obstacles you faced in the initial days and how did you overcome them?

A big obstacle I personally have had to overcome is “Negativity, the non-supporters”. There have been a couple of people who play a big role in my life that showed me no support and would try to bring me down. It affected me deeply and caused mistakes and other problems in my business and other aspects in my life. I overcame it finally by being around more “positive people” and practicing the Law of Attraction more.

I realized that I was actually just making those people uncomfortable with my ambition and young success. I chose to do this business for good reasons and stick to my goals.

What is the most enjoyable part of your day ?

I enjoy my whole day! I love being able to primarily work from home in my pajamas, still having my toddler daughter around. I don’t want to miss out on her. I love having my “adult time” with my clients and friends too during the evening. I have the best of both worlds. I love having flexibility.

Finally, your five keys to success?

1. Passion-having an ambition and vision leading to setting goals.
2. Ability To Accept Risks- taking a risk and living with the consequence,embrace risk.
3. Persistence-takes discipline, mastering a craft and developing a vision.
4. Who You Know-You need to know people that will give you advice, help you, buy from you or hire you.
5. Understanding the Law of Attraction-Have a high self esteem, be nice to work with and attract what you want out of life properly.

Sites Of Interest

http://www.wineshopathome.com




This interview was published on 7th September 2007


To read more stories about women in the direct selling industry click Direct Selling Party Plan Home Businesses.


Visit Monique’s website to get more information about her party plan direct selling business

How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Ten years ago my husband and I had just purchased our first home and–like most homeowners—we were struggling to find reliable home improvement contractors. When we finally found a skilled painter, plumber or electrician, I felt compelled to share his name with other homeowners in need of their services. From that humble start, I decided to launch and grew Home Remedies® of NY, Inc. into a personal concierge service linking homeowners with pre-screened, reliable home improvement professionals. I refer to my business as a Homeowner Referral Network (HRN).

What was your main motivation behind starting your own business?

After the birth of my first daughter, I wanted to find a better balance between career and family. I left my career in publishing to be a full time mom and after three months, our bills began to pile up and my self-esteem began to plummet. I longed for the stimulation of a career but also wanted to be a stay at home mom. I realized that there weren’t many jobs out there that that would allow me to work from home and earn the type of salary I wanted so I set out to create my own opportunity.

HRN seems to be an ideal business opportunity for mothers (and fathers) who are looking to start a new business. Am I right in assuming that this business is not restricted to American market alone but can be started anywhere in the world?

Yes, absolutely. There is a universal need for this type of service.

Can any contractor join HRN or is there a screening process?

No, not every contractor qualifies to be included in my network. There’s a very comprehensive screening process including license, insurance and reference checks. Each contractor must also meet 5 specific criteria to be referred by my HRN and I conduct ongoing customer satisfaction surveys with my customers to maintain quality control.

In the initial days what were some of the problems you faced and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge in the beginning was securing start up capital. We were living on one income and had a new house and a new baby. To launch Home Remedies my husband and I took a $5000 loan from his retirement savings plan and my husband now says that I’m the best investment he’s ever made. And, although I love to decorate and remodel, I didn’t have any home improvement experience at all when I first launched my business. This was also a big challenge initially. I decided to create a Board of Advisors to consult with me on with business and home improvement related issues. My Board includes my lawyer, insurance agent and webmaster as well as a few of the contractors in my network. My husband is also on the Board!

What is the cheapest, most effective bit of marketing you have ever done?

PR. By far, the most effective marketing tool is press attention. It’s a third party, impartial endorsement of your business.

Finally, your five keys to success?

1. Persistence
2. Creativity
3. Discipline
4. Determination
5. Working at what you love!

Sites Of Interest

http://www.hrnbiz.com

She was awarded Best-Female Entrepreneur in the 2004 Stevie Awards. This is a remarkable achievement. She has authored numerous books.Lonna now offers the opportunity to others to become a representative of the company and sell the products.Thank you Lonna for participating in DotComMothers.Read and Be Inspired.

How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I started making gift baskets at the age of 12 and loved the act of gift giving. In 2001 I developed a web site offering gift baskets and offered gift-giving ideas. I started receiving many requests for the supplies and found out that 90% of my customers were those in direct sales who were trying to spice up their products for presentation.

I then developed the site gearing towards direct sales and all those who love to give gifts without breaking the bank. Hence, this is how Cello In a Box Co. came to be.

You sell the cello bags to other business owners or for private use. Apart from buying the product, can business owners also approach you and learn how to present their products (using cello)?

Absolutely! We offer tips on our web site of how to use different types of bags, including which bags are FDA approved, and always offer an open line via email or phone for questions. We also offer a video on our web site that shows many ways to use cello bags for business or personal use.

How does one become a representative of your company ?

We take pride in offering a program that has no purchasing requirements as we feel our company is there to help others increase sales with presentation. Therefore, we want them to enjoy their stay, learn from it and feel worry free of tracking and order requirements. We ask that they purchase a starter kit, which gives them a variety of cello bags, sales tips and also provide them with a free affiliate link if they choose to offer cello products for sale to earn a commission.

How do you promote your products? Do you have an online and offline marketing strategy? Or do you concentrate more on online marketing ?

We currently have 1050 representatives with us at Cello In a Box Co., and many of them promote our products via online by having online parties, advertising on yahoo groups, etc. So it is like a family and we all pitch in. We are asked periodically to be featured in paper marketing such as a magazine or an online article but that is the extent of it. We choose to offer our representative’s incentives, contests, and prizes and they really do most of the advertising for us.

You have won “Best Female Entrepreneur” award. That is a great achievement. Congratulations. In your business if you had to start all over again would you do anything different?

I spent many years researching, making mistakes and just learning. I feel that we all have to go through struggles and obstacles to find success. One very big mistake I made was trying to develop and create products that I thought the world wanted. Not necessarily what I loved to do or what the world needed. Once I pinned down the “real me” and I was able to express my creativity doing what I loved to do, I excelled at great speeds.

So, if I were to do it over again, I would ask myself this one question…”Lonna, what is it you love to do?” This answer will tell me where my knowledge lies. A person is able to express enthusiasm and build trust with their knowledge; therefore, why should they only work in the areas of their own passions.

What is the most enjoyable part of your day ?

I am often given the opportunity to help our representatives with business ideas, answering questions, and giving motivational advice. This gives me self-gratification, and I sincerely love to help those who want to help themselves. I love what I do most from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed.

Finally, your five keys to success?

1. Love what you do! ~ Don’t do something to make a dollar or to be a part of the next big trend. Do it because you enjoy it. Ask yourself what is my passion and what am I good at. Everyone has a skill or a niche you just need to think about it.
2. Accept criticism as a learning experience ~ Consider the criticism so that you can change it to make things better for you and your business, then move on.
3. Daily dedication ~ Do not let a day go by that you do not work on your business.
4. Doing what you say you are going to do ~ If you cannot do it, then at least let your customer know that you are working on it. Provide the service that you would like to be provided.
5. Find something positive to smile about every single day ~ Be thankful for your position and your creativity. It is an accomplishment in itself no matter what you are doing in your life or business, so smile about it.

Sites Of Interest

http://www.celloinabox.com

This interview was published on 2nd October 2007

To read more stories about women in the direct selling industry click Small Business Ideas.

Visit Lonna’s websites to get more information about her gift wrapping supplies business