Pea of Sweetness

Making Changes

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Well, I’ve left some people in suspense as I made it clear that I will be making some changes to begin the New Year. I am not sure anybody that doesn’t know would suspect what these changes may be and others might have seen it coming as soon as I said I was going to be making changes. Obviously our family has some big changes coming up as well, but this is specifically regarding me and Pea of Sweetness.
Decisions

Change #1

The first change is in regards to this website/blog. I originally started Pea of Sweetness to be more of a business blog, but it CLEARLY took a different turn. I LOVE what Pea of Sweetness has become! I love writing, and I feel like my writing can come through so much more now! So, instead of having a parenting, homeschooling, overall lifestyle blog plus small business and business tips I will no longer be including small business in my blogging. I WILL still have sponsor and advertising options and reviews and giveaways. What I will no longer have is my blog posts with business tips, business decisions, etc. I will be focusing my niche more as well on parenting, homeschooling, and Eco-friendly living. Of course, special needs will be incorporated as well! There will be one exception – mentioned in Change #3.

Change #2

I will slowly, but surely, be updating things like my “About Me,” my Facebook fan page and Google + cover to reflect the changes mentioned in Change #1. I will also be updating my PR information and including a Media Kit. I have revamped my advertising options already, so definitely check that out! I will also be changing the look and feel of the Small Business Directory as well as adjusting advertising rates for features in my Small Business Directory. (Those that are already in the small business directory WILL get information on these changes, so be looking out for it in your inboxes soon!)

Change #3

I will (finally) start focusing more on my personally made products like cloth diapers, nursing covers, and wall and car decals (these are the products I currently can take custom orders for), and I’ll be bringing some other stuff your way as well – to be determined! Because I feel my personally made products still fit the niche of my blog I may feature posts here and there and will have a link to my products for purchase or order as well as a link to my Etsy shop when I get it set up. I will be using the name Pea of Sweetness for my business because that IS why Pea of Sweetness was created! 🙂 I’m excited to get back into things I enjoy and sharing them with you! I will NOT overrun my blog in these type posts because it is not my intent to keep Pea of Sweetness as a business blog, but as I mentioned, I will make it easy to find these creations and share them in a way that fits with my niche!

Change #4

This is probably the hardest change for me, but probably the best change for me all the same. I will no longer be pursuing direct sales businesses as a mean to help support our family financially. Financially, it hasn’t been that beneficial for me, and if you ask the experts – it’s all my fault. I’m OK with admitting this isn’t the right path for me. There are a variety of reasons for this decision. Some are more specific to the company or companies I was representing. A lot has to do with time as direct sales do take A LOT of time to be successful, and I feel like it is taking from the things that are more important to me and our family. Some of the decision basis is more due to the industry in general. I really don’t feel the need to go into details (well, I did initially want to, but after praying I feel it is best not to), but I can say I have had some bad experiences over the past year.  I can’t do things “half way,” and I’m finding that even if I try to keep a business “casually” or “for the discount” I am still getting slightly antsy and/or bothered by things. It really isn’t worth the time and stress for me. If I choose to keep any casually I will no longer advertise it. I cannot say I’ve made a decision 100%, though I do know FOR SURE that most will be gone by the end of December. If you are signed up for my newsletter for a specific business you will receive an announcement via e-mail specifically for that business to make you aware of the changes.
Pea of Sweetness
I’m really excited (and relieved – like a weight has been lifted) about the upcoming changes. As always, if you’d like more detailed information about any of my decisions, things to come, etc. I’m a friendly person, so feel free to contact me for more!
 

Small Business Spotlight!

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It’s “Spotlight Saturday,” and today’s spotlight is Small Business Spotlight! I run a wonderful small business shopping group that is made of awesome small business owners that offer natural products and/or products that are helpful around the home! Today’s spotlight will feature our current Consultant of the Month – Robin! Robin is also featured in our Small Business Directory!
Robin is a Managing Consultant for Clever Container. Clever Container is all about organizing, functionality, ideas, and fun! They have fabulous products to help you organize your life. They’ll provide clever & helpful tips whether you are just getting started on your organizational journey or are already an organizing “junkie.” I was so surprised by the number of organizing products they have! It’s fantastic! They offer excellent incentives and free products whether you host a party or join our team. So fulfill your curiosity and contact Robin for more information! Clever Container has been featured in Woman’s Day Magazine, Good Morning America, and Mom Invented.

Robin Lehmann – Independent Consultant
Robin is a local fellow military spouse, and I had the chance to be her “neighbor” at the last big expo, and I’m so glad to have been getting to know her! 🙂

To learn more about Clever Container, their products, hosting a party, or their business opportunity please contact Robin Lehmann:

E-mail: clevermerobin@aol.com

Visit her website at http://www.clevercontainer.com/robin

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Ok, so I’m a day plus (or 2 since it’s almost midnight!) late, but I still felt like I needed to do a Valentine’s post! My Valentine’s Day was non-eventful, but honestly, I prefer it that way. I’m totally not a “romantic” person, though I feel sorry for my husband because he is FANTASTIC at being romantic! It’s not that I don’t appreciate it – it just doesn’t really matter to me one way or another. We went to the “Hood Howdy” last week, which is a way to introduce different services available here at and around Fort Hood. Besides the fact that our sensory sensitive kids didn’t last very long (and my husband had to take the younger 2 to the car), I did get a lot of stuff, learn a lot of stuff, and enter a lot of giveaways! And we WON one! We won a “dinner and a movie” from Pioneer Services. Yes I’m totally linking up to them because seriously it’s so awesome! They gave us a $75 gift card to a Texas Land & Cattle and a $25 gift card to Cinemark! What a blessing! I can’t even tell you the last time we went to dinner and a movie! I’m so excited! So yes, I may not be the “romantic type,” but dinner and a movie sounds fantastic, and I can’t wait to go!
Overall, though, Valentine’s day wasn’t “just another day” here, either. My husband came home early from work because he was sick. I wasn’t feeling well either, so I did a bunch of nothing all day as it was. I was planning like this great fun Valentine’s project for homeschool, but that just didn’t happen. Instead, though, we did “creative play.” B set up a “valentine shop” using an end table and both of the older two kids acted out giving and receiving Valentine’s gifts. For 5 and 4 year olds I would say that is actually a pretty good “project” for Valentine’s day! I think sometimes we try SO hard to set up these perfect projects, follow the curriculum to a “t,” etc. when young kids have so much “natural learning” they can do! I think it’s needed sometimes, too! Obviously practice makes perfect, so learning the same things over and over can be redundant for them it is necessary as well, but I’m beginning to see it’s JUST as necessary to have days where their imagination can run wild! I mean seriously, they set up a Valentine’s “project” all on their own with no prompting! I think sometimes I don’t give them enough credit! Although I had to keep reminding B not to SIT on the table his creativity and ideas for Valentine’s Day were definitely to be applauded! And we all know how good they feel when we give them credit for good ideas! 🙂 So yeah, my husband might have been sick, and I might not have been feeling the greatest, but all in all I would say we had a GREAT Valentine’s Day!

How about you? What did you do for Valentine’s Day?
If you homeschool – what were your Valentine’s projects (if any)?
If you’re a business owner – what were your “Valentine’s” goals? Did you have any sales or specials specifically for Valentine’s Day?
I really considered promoting sales and specials similar to Black Friday, but I had just had my first Initials, Inc party at my home on Saturday, and I was working on getting the word out before I closed the party today. Since I’m trying not to spread myself too thin I didn’t want to focus on too much at once! I felt like I didn’t get much more unpacking and organizing done this week, but I had a great turnout at my first Initials, Inc. party here at our house. We had new friends over and kids and a visit from my mother in-law as well this weekend! It was great! So I’ve been working on wrapping the party up as well as just feeling kind of “blah.” I started a new workout program because the one I had chosen just wasn’t the “right one” for me right now. Tomorrow I’m going to Dallas for a Nerium Real Results Party with Jeff Olson (the CEO) himself as well as his beautiful wife and daughter (both co-founders), co-founder Dennis Windsor, AND National Marketing Director Mark Smith! WOW! Now, I’d like to think my person Real Results parties are pretty fun, but man, I know they’re NOTHING compared to this! LOL If you’re in Texas and interested in going let me know ASAP!! 🙂 Seriously, whether you’re interested in finding out what Nerium can do for you or you’re interested in learning that AND the about the business plan you won’t want to miss this! Nerium is the youngest company EVER to be featured in Success From Home magazine (January 2010 at just over 90 days old!!) Plus my husband has a 4-day weekend for President’s Day, so it helps that he doesn’t have to go into work bright and early as usual on Friday, so I don’t feel so bad if the little guy won’t sleep well for him since I’ll be home late, but he can sleep in! I have a feeling he’ll sleep better WITHOUT my being at home, though! Out of sight, out of mind, right?
If you’re new to “Pea of Sweetness” welcome! I’m just starting to revamp the website and give it more of a personal touch! Don’t forget to check me out on Facebook as well! Pea of Sweetness is all about being a full-time homeschooling mom of special needs kids, multi-business owner, and military spouse! It’s about me being me and why I choose to do what I do to make a difference in my family’s life! I’ll also be re-doing my “About Me” to give the more detailed story as well! And stay tuned as I start to add more “Pages” to my website to include more information about the businesses that I do and how to get more information! For now, you’ll see that I’ve linked them up via their names in the posts! I’m so excited to share my journey with you! My goals are to inspire you to do more – to be who God has called you to be! We all have limitations – some of mine were mentioned – but we can still aspire to be our best and do what is best for us and our families. That “best” is going to be different for everyone! I want to REALLY CONNECT and learn more about YOU as well! I love to link to and support other parent bloggers, entrepreneurs, homeschoolers, parents of special needs children, etc., so please don’t hesitate to comment on any posts and let me know who you are! My goal for 2012 is to get Pea of Sweetness off the ground and bring you new, interesting content more often! And for my friends and family that have always been there – I can’t say thank-you enough! You have watched Pea of Sweetness go from a dream to start a sewing business making cloth diapers and attachment parenting products to the crush of that dream when my husband got cancer and I couldn’t possibly sit at a sewing machine, to the ups and downs of attempting again and finding out my husband’s cancer returned, to saying well, this is what I can do NOW and finding other means to help build my dream (in direct sales/network marketing businesses). I have had an amazing support system including my wonderful husband, and I can’t wait to see what 2012 brings for our family – and all of yours! So Happy Belated Valentine’s Day! I hope it was a wonderful day of “love” and you have many more! 🙂

Happy New Year!

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I have so much to catch up on as I have obviously been slacking on this blog! 2011 truly was “out with the old, in with the new.” One of the first things you’ll probably notice is the only business I had on this blog is no longer there! I am now only a preferred buyer with them and may even lose that status soon due to quotas I’m not meeting. I loved the idea of organic products and eco products like the skoy clothes and produce bags, but when I realized the reusable products were wholesale through other companies it crossed my mind that *I* could buy them wholesale and offer them through Pea of Sweetness! Another adventure for a future time, but not now! 😉 For my bath and body products I still shop from my own business where I’ve teamed up with Melaleuca through Work at Home United. Not everything is “organic,” but they are free of my most common concerns and a more affordable alternative! And they offer so many products it’s easy to just shop from my own “store” and save money! So it is what was right for us now!
I have my priorities now, and I feel confident with them! Nerium is such an amazing company with an amazing product! They genuinely care about their Brand Partners and offer us so many wonderful incentives! I feel so blessed to have found them and am part of such an amazing team! Nerium is my #1 business focus, and I plan on going far with it! 🙂 Nerium will be the FIRST company that is this young to be featured in Success at Home magazine! I just see so many great things ahead!
Since moving to Fort Hood I have also discovered there is not an Initials, Inc. Rep here, so I’m excited to get that off the ground here and start booking parties! I’m so excited for the Spring/ Summer line that is coming out in Feb and the awesome Jan Shopportunities where you can be the first to get some of the Spring/ Summer products! Plus Initials, Inc. Was just featured on Good Morning America! How fun is that!?
Everything else? Well, one (bed and bath linens) was short lived. I was excited for the reduced kit price but really wasn’t into the products like I thought I would be. But I figured for that kit price I’d give it a try! My heart wasn’t in it, though, so I decided I needed to whittle it out. Having multiple businesses is hard enough! Holding on to one you have no interest in is just not a good choice! As for the others they’re still around! Rumor has it Barefoot Books will start requiring a sales quota, and in that case I won’t keep it, either. Again, I have my focus elsewhere, so although I love their books I won’t have enough time/ energy to devote to making said quota, and I don’t buy books often enough to make it myself!
I plan on revamping my website as well! I’m going to be combining my website and blog into one if all goes well with the domain transfer! I will not be including one of my businesses on my website, though, due to new restrictions in their Policy & Procedures. It has its own blog/ website, though, so if you’re still interested in info for that send me a message! 🙂
And I’m not one to make resolutions, but I am going to strive to blog and update Pea of Sweetness more! There are fun and challenging times to being a full-time, homeschooling “mompreneur.” I’d love to continue to share my journey with you! I hope 2012 brings you much prosperity and many blessings!
* Please note that I did not mention the names of the businesses I left in order to not make it seem I am remarking negatively about them. I’m whittling down my businesses for my own sake so I can focus on what is important and not because they “did me wrong.” Every business and success you have in that business is based on what you put into it (though yes, they may have different comp plans, restrictions, monthly business fees, etc.), and I can only put so much into each one and still maintain my family and home as well as the ability to better focus my time & energy on my MAIN businesses. If you have a concern that it may be one through which you’ve purchased products from me please feel free to contact me privately so I can let you know or connect you with another consultant! 🙂 *