One for the Team <3

Yes, it’s a little unorthodox for a woman to do. I get that, but the food you’re eating, I’d assume most of every item you enjoy at some point was trucked in. A trucker did that. I came from that world, I’m proud of my overall wearing, oil-stained hands, and manual labor childhood.

In planning this trip, I looked at flights. Three separate trips would be needed, and with that goes plane tickets, rental or Uber car, hotel, and meals. It all adds up.

The more a business spends, the less money it makes. Working with “oh I can tax-deduct it” is bad business.

“It takes money to make money” is something said to get you stuck in credit card debt or a pride trap.

What you need to make your business awesome is work; work, and consistently doing the work.

I don’t work for glory, I work to earn money. Now, I don’t have to work, Nathan does very well, but there was that time he died in my arms – that affects you. I believe in working, especially when we had an extensive student loan debt, had to support my parents for 12 years, and when we had lots of medical debt between the bus, heart, PT, and our Katelynn.

I’ve helped extend my best friend/ LoverMan’s life, reducing stress as he established his career, giving him more choices. Ultimately, I believe that achieving a fulfilling life and marriage is a team activity. The dynamics of our team, earning money was something I could do for the team while also being a homemaker. We get very sidetracked when we think it’s simply about what one person wants. Nathan does his part with excellence. He is dedicated in his profession, he is a man who loves me, our children and God. He is an amazing team player.

Yes, I enjoy impacting others through my work and expanding my talents. I am very good at what I do. It’s not been easy or comfortable. In working, I’ve chosen to give up many personal things I might have enjoyed. I don’t regret that. Both my husband and my kids know I could do anything and yet choose to put this family, this team first. That is a bigger reward than whatever else I’d be doing. Every team has different demands and needs sitting on the sidelines. Criticizing other team members is not being a team player, simply said, it’s selfish and poopy.

Often after a speaking engagement I sell out of books I could fit in my suitcase. That’s money I left on the table that I didn’t earn. Money I didn’t bring home to my family. With makeup booths, the more inventory I have with me, the more I can sell. I did an experiment – if I could bring my whole booth set up, would I sell more?

The answer was yes! Paying to ship things or extra bag charges when I’m doing an experiment is a risk. I’m not willing to risk the time that I am out of the home not being profitable.

So with a list of expenses, possible expenses I decided to live as many in America must, out of their car. I got to choose to do this. I made my minivan quite cozy. Loaded on one side with all my booth things, inventory, books, and personal items and a bed on the other. I literally had everything I needed. Also, I met some wonderful people, I had an adventure. I parked in a well-lit area and put my sweater over my eyes like a fancy eye mask.

Knowingly, I could have bought plane tickets and rented a car instead of driving or gotten a hotel instead of sleeping in truck stops, RV parks, and friends’ houses

I could have paid freight to get my things there… but why? If in your business you’re not willing to do the drudgery, then your business will not be successful. If you’re not willing to build it, it won’t sustain you. To me, the actual revenue I bring home is more important than the look of success.

Plus I got to see that, at 49 years old, I’m almost as adaptable as I was a kid. I say “almost” because my van was way more comfortable than sharing a diesel cab with a brother or three and a communal toothbrush and the two dogs.

As you know I prefer cats.

I’ve got life very,very good; full of choices because I’m willing to do the hard things, everyday just like my favorite team member ever, Nathan LoverMan Greene.