I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. As a child, I was always selling something – Christmas cards and wrapping paper, chocolates and candy, and of course Girl Scout cookies. Back then, I did not depend on mom or dad taking order forms to work; I don’t even think that “was done.” No, it was all door to door. It was a different time. I loved meeting people and loved the feeling it gave me when I delivered their orders, knowing I had done something helpful to make them happy and their holiday easier.

Once when I was 10 or 11, I walked to my corner and up a mountain road that has a lot of exclusive homes. I always loved when my Dad would take me up there for a drive. To me, it was a magical place with interesting homes tucked in the mountain side. I loved being able to look out between the trees on the communities below and stop at a very special clearing to view the New York skyline. So, one day, I walked up there, going door to door with my Christmas candy order forms, till I got to the end, then turned around and went to every door on the way back. I did not realize that the Drive was 4 miles long! That tenacity garnered me the top sales position, and at that young age, taught me so much about people, and myself.

When I was 11, I was asked to be the organist at my church and was paid $25.00 a month. That was my first job, and $25.00 a month was better than any allowance! I held that position, and grew with it, for 19 years.

I met the love of my life when I was 17, and married at 18. We were in love but too young, and our marriage dissolved a few years later. I went back to school, attending an all women’s college as a pre-med major. Everyone assumed I would be a music major, but I had a keen interest in Biology and Medicine. The summer between my Sophomore and Junior year, I flew to the U.S. Virgin Islands to take a course in Marine Biology. Five weeks later, when I came home, most summer jobs were filled. I found employment with Kirby Vacuums as a sales rep. My idea was to take advantage of their guaranteed $620.00 just for going on 30 appointments. I thought this would be perfect to have some spending money for school.

Well, I did really well with those 30 appointments! My first month in business, I out sold all the sales reps in 5 states. I received the “Top Woman Dealer” and “Top Dealer” awards as well as being written up in the company newsletter. I have to say, it became harder to attend class. I had started college 4 years later than my HS classmates, and they were already in their careers or grad school and generating an income. I was a poor student. Leaving college was not my smartest move, but the income I was making and the customers I met was too great a lure. I worked exclusively inner city, and because of Kirby’s financing at the time, this bright shiny top of the line vacuum was affordable to many who would otherwise never be able to afford the best of anything. It was also a valuable education, having grown up at the edge of the suburbs bordering the countryside. I met so many beautiful souls that I helped own something of quality that made them happy and their lives easier. They, and their stories, enriched me.

After a few years, The Kirby Company dissolved their relationship with the finance company thereby disqualifying much of my customer base and sales were fewer. I was at the point where I wanted to become a more professional sales person, and after exploring a few ideas, I took a position with a Wall Street firm.

I earned an NASD series 6 license and was a Registered Representative selling mutual funds, municipal bonds, and money market funds. I was only registered in New York, and unlike my co workers, knew no one, and had no base. So back to door to door!

Almost two years later, the Life Insurance Industry was rolling out a new product that required the exact license, the NASD Series 6, that I had. Most sales reps did not have this and I was snapped up by a major insurance company. I became licensed in Life, Accident and Health insurance. Honestly, I hated every minute of it.

One day, while frustrated and contemplating what I wanted to do with my life, an acquaintance ask me what it was that I really loved to do. As simplistic as it sounded, it was the most profound question, it’s answer, life altering.

Aside from my music (which at this point, I confess, I took for granted), I Love to cook! I love food and was excited about the “new American cuisine” movement. So, I spent the next few years working through kitchens, leading to my professional education at the Culinary Institute of America, and my career.

Years later, I remarried, left the industry to have a normal life, and eventually, became the proud mom of a beautiful four day old baby girl. When my daughter was two, my dad passed away and Mom came to live with me. Like many women, I was raising a toddler and caring for an aging parent. It was the greatest honor of my life to be with my mom the last 8 years of hers. However, I was home bound and needed to make sure I didn’t loose MYSELF. I was still very active in my new church as both choir member and fill-in organist. I started a garden, took a few online college courses, and started researching online business and work from home opportunities.

I partnered in a telemarketing company, and I worked from home as a NMLS Licensed Mortgage Originator. However, I was still looking for something internet based, so that I could be home for my daughter.

I researched several Network marketing companies and invested time and money into the new online off-shoot of a very famous one. What I witnessed and experienced was Rah Rah overload, adulating Wanna Be’s lining up after meetings to meet “Mr. and Mrs. Star”, MORE meetings, and, no real training, unless you consider subliminal arm twisting. The biggest red flag, and turn off, was the “get rich quick” style of their promotion. I was looking for a serious online business opportunity where I could put in the work and grow.

My daughter was now away at college and my marriage, which was on the down slope for years, was over. Divine providence stepped in. The love of my life, whom I married at 18, found me on Face Book. A few months earlier, I had commented on a Blog about historic buildings on the Lower East Side, NYC. His relative saw it and the rest as they say, is history. We continued to text and talk on the phone for the next two years, and after selling most of my household belongings, I rented a 16 ft. truck, loaded my piano and some favorite furniture, and drove 1500 miles to grow old with the smartest and coolest guy I ever met and the love of my life. That was eight years ago.

In my new home, I was able to continue my music career. I started to volunteer as a choir member, and a few years later, a position opened and I was directing the choir and playing the organ, which led to a paid position on a nearby military base. I am currently the Director of Sacred Music for two of the churches on post, and am profoundly honored to serve those who serve.

During the years my other half and I spent on the phone, we found that our mutual love for antiques and vintage had not waned. Still looking for the perfect internet business, I discovered Etsy, and set up a shop. We were at Estate sales every Saturday morning. When we came home, everything was catalogued, washed, photographed, bubble wrapped, assigned a SKU number, and stored in boxes. Each item was researched, priced, and posted with a write up, on Etsy. A LOT OF WORK! Our spare bedroom is still filled with shipping boxes of every size, cases of bubble wrap, very large bags of packing peanuts and rolls of tape. A LOT OF STUFF!

Our first year was decent and every year after that we saw an increase in revenue. Our fourth year was twice as good as our third, possibly because it was the first year of covid, when things were shutting down and people were home. Still, I knew this was not going to be a forever business. As we grow older, are we going to want to do all this work? Are we going to want to haul all those boxes to the post office two and three times a week? After that first year of Covid, sales fell, Etsy fees went up, and shipping cost as well. Our ROI became much smaller on the few products we did sell.

I stumbled upon the concept of Internet MARKETING. This was exactly what I was looking for! I started following one of the most successful marketers, Igor Kheifets, and through him, found my mentor, JOHN THORNHILL. Both gentleman are super successful online and affiliate marketers and true experts in the online marketing sphere. John’s program PARTNERSHIP TO SUCCESS is a true “paint by numbers” format. If it were possible for a coach to hold your hand through the computer screen, this is as close as it gets!

So, this is me. I am a woman of faith, a mom, a grandmom, a committed partner to the most wonderful man, a working musician, a homesteading gardener, a retired classically trained chef, an entrepreneur and life explorer. I am adding – Internet Marketer.

Thank you so much for reading! I invite you to follow me on my journey, or better yet, if you want more financial freedom and freedom of movement through life, come join me!

To Your Success,

Stephanie