What is your primary business?
I help people to enjoy an improved family life be showing them how to have a successful home based business...one in which they save money on their own grocery budget by buying their everyday products at wholesale prices, and then building a terrific income by showing others how to do the same.

Why did you start your own business?
To save money on my grocery budget, and then to earn extra income so we wouldn't feel so financially constrained; I chose to leave my nursing job to be at home with my 2 children full time. I then chose a Watkins Home Business to make things easier on our budget!

How did you get started?
I answered an ad in a magazine for information...the day I got the info kit, I signed up! I used the products in my home for about 5 months before I ever got around to selling anything. Again, one of my initial reasons for joining was just to save money on groceries! Once I began sharing the products and the business with others, it snowballed and hasn't stopped!

What makes your company unique?
Unlike most network mktg. companies that spring up every few months and disappear almost as quickly, Watkins has been in business for 130 years. Our name has a sterling reputation: when you hear "Watkins", no one thinks of greedy, snake oil salespersons! We've stood for the concept of "Wellness" since 1868...in fact, Watkins was originally called "The JR Watkins Medicinal Company". We offer top quality, reasonably priced products that people are already buying and using in their homes every single day: Foods& Cooking Ingredients, Health & Nutrition, Personal Care, and Home Care Products. Plus, for our Representatives, we don't have to force you to buy products in the form of quotas and minimum order amounts. Watkins Products have been selling to hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers for over a century...unlike other network mktg. companies who sell fad products. So there are no quotas of any kind: no sales quotas, no minimum orders, no sponsoring quotas. You can become a Watkins Representative and just buy groceries at wholesale prices...and nothing more, if you want! Or you can earn a 6-figure income...everything is open to you!

What specials skills or training were required to start this business? And where did you get this training/and or experience?
Watkins is available to anyone. No special training or skills are required to begin your successful Watkins home business. If you want to earn extra income or develop a whole new career with Watkins, all you need is a desire and a reason to do it. From there, the people who bring you into the business, you're "upline", provide the "how to's" of telling others about Watkins, the products, the business opportunity. Training in person (depending upon location), via telephone and email, written materials, and the awesome Annual Convention (at GREAT locations across the US & Canada!) are among the many, many ways we all help one another to learn and to succeed.

How much do you estimate the start-up costs were to start this business?
It costs just $29.95 (+ $3.95 S&H) to start a Watkins Business. With the $70 worth of business materials, training manuals, product profiles, discount long-distance MCI service offers, catalogs and full size and sample size products that you receive with your "Express Start Assortment" kit, many new Reps go out and make several hundred dollars worth of sales on the first day!

Were there any special purchases that were required to start this business? ie: equipment, supplies, inventory?
NONE WHATSOEVER...just the above mentioned kit. It contains everything one needs to get started.

What difficulties did you encounter starting your business?
Just my own nerves, really. Getting used to talking to people about Watkins; I'm NOT a salesperson! But what I've found is that the best way, the most successful way to do this business is to NOT SELL PEOPLE STUFF...it's just to SHARE A GREAT DEAL with them! Just like I'd recommend a great movie to a friend...or tell my neighbor where I found a good sale on strawberries...I recommend Watkins to anyone who wants the best quality for themselves and/or their family but wants to spend less, and/or earn some extra money!

How many hours do you work in a typical week?
About 4 at first, now up to about 6-10.

How do you market your business? Is there anything unique that you have tried that work really well for you?
I began with home parties...they were a lot of fun. Did some fairs/craft shows, too. Right now I've settled into simply telling folks I'd like to give them a catalog, some FREE samples to try, a price comparison sheet, and a little introductory product newsletter to look at. When they agree to take these, I give them one week, then I call for their orders. It works beautifully! I also tell them about the wholesale buyer's club...many join right on the spot!

I have also just started using aol classifieds...looks alright so far!

Finally, my group offers its members Advertising Coops; our Director and President's Club Directors offer those who are seriously interested in building a business "shares" in national advertising campaigns. They place the multi-thousand dollar ads in the big business magazines and papers across the US/Canada (and soon to go international, by the way...), and we purchase "shares", as many as we want, that will bring us a portion of the leads generated by these ads. That's how my sponsor got me...I was in the group of leads she received by purchasing "shares" in the advertising coop!

Watkins places no restrictions on how we build our businesses...as long as it's legal, ethical, and upholds the fine Watkins name.

What three things are most rewarding about working for yourself?
*I'm my own boss...I don't have to work for anybody else! *No more punching a time clock or being told when to take a vacation, or working on Christmas! I'm in control! *Being here for my children. No broken hearts at the daycare dropoff for us. I know exactly who is giving my boys the love and nurturing they need...it's me! working moms, I feel for you! I KNOW it's hard, but until now, you haven't had a choice. NOW YOU DO. Start your Watkins home business, part time on the side, while you keep the security of your current job. You could cut to part time, even leave that job sooner than you think! (Insurance options ARE AVAILABLE!)

What three things are most frustrating?
When you are your own boss, you have to develop a different mindset. *No one does tell you when to go to work...so you have to make sure that you do get there! *Sometimes when a call came in from a customer or Representative candidate, the kids would be screaming...that was a little frustrating until I put it in perspective: first, this IS a home-based business, and I AM here because I want to be with my kids! So I got a second line installed and put a voicemail message on it...if it's quiet, I call back right away! If not, I wait until things have settled down! Life is good! *I had to learn how to be very productive in a limited amount of time. I used to constantly go in my little "office" and straighten my desk up, put my catalogs and order forms in order...and call that "working my business". But that didn't make my phone ring! I was real frustrated for a while, but now I know better!

How do you separate work from home?
You have to set clear priorities for your business: for me, my children were a driving force behind my starting this business. Therefore, they come first. As I mentioned, the voice messaging system on my "business line" was really the answer. I make phone calls when they're outside playing, or inside engrossed in a movie. I have regular "office hours" that happen 3-4 days a week at night when the kids are in bed. That's when I do any computer work, place ads, fax things, get mailings prepared to go to the post office next morning, etc.

How do you handle working at home with children?
Again, they are my priority. If you don't make them come first, you may as well go back to your "job" and stick them in daycare. To me, there are few higher callings than being entrusted with the upbringing of children. They need love, hugs, laughter and encouragement...we need to be our kid's best cheerleaders! And children spell all of those things the same way: it's T-I-M-E.

Yes, the customer IS important. But the children need to be more important. You find the "holes" when they're occupied...always have a "who to call" list by the phone, and when it's quiet for a moment, make the call. Make light of the interruptions! If I have a screaming kid in the middle of a conversation, I'll just say, "excuse me please, I'm being paged!" Most phones have a hold button, so I' put them on hold so they don't have to listen to the crying!

How are you different from your competitors? Long Heritage: Watkins has been strong in rock solid business since 1868!

Honesty & Integrity: Watkins won't offer you overnight riches "get-rich-quick" lies. There's no "hype, hoopla and hysteria" over some "miracle products" that will cost hundreds each month and make all disease disappear. This is a great home business that will serve you well and help you achieve your dreams for yourself and your family, and will be there not just 20 days from now, but 20 years from now as well.

Top Quality Products at Competitive Prices: Watkins manufactures over 90% of their own products right in Winona, MN...so we don't mark them up to over-inflated levels the way many upstart network marketing companies have to.

100% Satisfaction, Money-Back Guarantee on Everything for customers and Representatives. JR Watkins offerred the first money back guarantee in retail history back in 1868...a tradition we're proud to uphold today!

Business based on everyday use, highly consumable products at affordable prices.

Watkins Representatives who shift just $36 of their existing monthly grocery budget from their grocery store to Watkins receive $100 FREE PRODUCTS OF THEIR CHOICE EVERY YEAR!

In addition to our regular product line (over 350 products!), Watkins also offers a terrific and affordable Holiday Gift Line, with gift shipping services, too! Available every year, September -December.

What advice would you give to others thinking of starting their own business?
The "get-rich-quick" mentality is pervasive out there...watch out for sharks!

Any business worth your time will tell you that while this is simple to do, and anyone CAN do it, it is not necessarily easy. You will need to work your business, and work it carefully so as to maximize your profits with a minimal amount of time. With a Watkins home business, we will show you EXACTLY how to do just that. If you're looking for something where you send in $20, and "we'll do everything for you while you sit in your underwear and watch TV", don't call me or Watkins! Go to the high-hype postcards. But if you want a home-based business that will teach you how to save money on your grocery budget, and how to earn a 4, 5 or even 6-figure income, working part time from home while helping others to save money, too, then I invite you to call me right now! The rewards of a Watkins home-based business are fantastic...it is well worth the time and effort! Because there's more to life than a daily commute!