Willow House Wednesdays: Decisions, Decisions!

I thought I would kick off Willow House Wednesdays with a blog about the company- who they are, what they're doing, and why I chose them.
I've been an Independent Design Consultant for a little under a month now and I'm increasingly convinced this is one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I'm in my seventh year of marriage and my fifth year of motherhood. For almost ALL of that time, I have sought to find work that suits our family's lifestyle, to no avail. Any job I take will require time away from my family, that's a given. But most would mean that I'm gone during the day and must put my kids in daycare (which I just would never do) or that I would be gone at night and leave them in the care of my husband, which hardly seems fair to him OR me because I would be working around the clock (children never sleep) and so would he.
I turned to the "work from home" idea, but everything I found was either a scam or completely illogical for someone who had kids because I wouldn't be able to care for them. Little by little, I began to notice a trend-- many of my girlfriends, also stay at home moms, were making good money and really enjoying themselves in direct sales. Trouble was, they were selling "romance enhancement" products, which I definitely didn't feel like I could sell. I looked around for Christian alternatives and found a few but none that really stood out. Until I found Willow House!
 I fell in love right away-- they sold homewares that were just spectacular, common sense entertaining that really popped, and had a bit of a southern feel to them. They just seemed to sparkle among all the other companies out there. For a few days I was torn between Willow House and another Housewares Party Plan, mostly because that company was "obviously" Christian. As I studied and compared the two, however, I was amazed at what I saw in Willow House that I saw no where else.
Willow House is the very first company of it's kind in the multi-million dollar Direct Sales Industry.
It is an innovative business model called the Community Commerce Model, which is brand new and groundbreaking for other companies who do the same thing.
Basically, the founder, Bill Shaw, looked around and saw potential for community commerce thanks to the advance of internet technologies.
Willow House is first and foremost an in-home party plan that really connects with it's consultants. My experience so far has been incredible- I've never felt so supported in all my life. Almost all of my training has been online, via webinars and videos and recorded training call. It's absolutely PERFECT for someone like me who has kids, because I decide when I'm going to do the training and the work-- I set office hours and keep them, but if something comes up and I have to spend my Tuesday office hours holding a teething baby, I know that I can accomplish my tasks that night at 2 am while feeding her.Thusfar I've done virtually ALL of my training at the kitchen table, cup of coffee in hand. And yet I am equipped, motivated, and supported in such a way that I have never been at work and in life! Willow House knows how to use the internet to it's advantage, and it shows!
Our business model thrives off the in-home parties, but as consultants, we are offered the opportunity to make multiple streams of income through our online Willow House store where people can buy at any time, our outlets where they can find deeply discounted product, and soon our E-Villages (design focused social networking communities) and E-Boutiques. Forthcoming we can look forward to Willow House TV and even reverse auctioning to help boost our sales, and all of this technology is explained and marketed thoroughly on the company's end, so that really all we Consultants have to do is step out using the resources we are given, and meet people to talk about it with. It's so fun!!
I literally get to blog, twitter, facebook, and party for a living! I get to do bible studies and theme parties with people I love to be around! What job does that??
Willow House hostesses (people who decide to book a party with one of our consultants) are truly the heart of the business. They love our products, and they book parties to earn wonderful discounts (up to 70% off if their sales reach just $250) and free products.They get to have all their friends over and enjoy a fun night out. As consultants, we have a great time-- getting to meet new people and making money that really makes a difference.
Willow House perks are so incredible- we earn wonderful bonuses and they work with their consultants to help them achieve their goals-- whether that's a car, a private school for one of the kids, or a full-time income.Earning free trips and incentives is just another day at the office with Willow House!
 Next, there are the products. Here's what Willow House has to say about their products: "We believe strongly in a philosophy of simply good design for our extensive product line. A well-designed product is something that will last, passing from one generation to the next. And it should make you happy each time you use it — in fact, each time you look at it. Good design should be accessible and affordable, because the days of fussy and overpriced products are gone forever." Now THAT is a philosophy I'm already on board with.
Another thing I absolutely LOVE is the presentation. Everything from the logo to the catalog to the consultant experience has been thought over and tweaked to perfection. For a consultant, Willow House brings to mind peace, prosperity, comfort, and family... those things which create true success. All of the consultants I have met exude the same sense of confidence and joy that only people who have learned to overcome and be creative can exhibit. Each of us works hard to ensure that the Willow House experience is what the Company promises it will be, but the tradeoff is that no where else could we have this same experience. Willow House creates meaningful lives.

Though I never imagined I would work in sales, I find myself amazed every day that I'm using all of the skills I gleaned from journalism, Customer service, publishing, and other work experience. I'm learning new things every day, so it never gets boring. And since the company gives total freedom to it's consultants (within reason) to market and party the way we were made, I am able to incorporate my conservative Christian values in every single way to infuse them into the secular culture around me. It's not just a job-- it's a ministry and way of life.
One last thing to mention: Philanthropy. Willow House donates to, promotes and supports the Juvenile Diabetes research Foundation and Cut it Out, a foundation devoted to helping victims of domestic abuse. It has been amazing to me to see how easy it is to make a difference  in the lives of people in desperate need of assistance and compassion. In every way, Willow House is changing lives!
I am thrilled to be a part of this company and I hope that reading this has given you some sense of who we are and what we do.

If this sounds like the kind of company YOU want to work with, let's talk! I would love to have you on my fast-growing team, and I am quite sure that your experience can be all that you want it to be.
Visit my website for more information: www.southernstar.willowhouse.com to find out how you can be part of such an amazing vision for America's future.

At Willow House, we embody grace, warmth, and a bit of magic. Like our namesake willow, we sway with the trends but are not overwhelmed by them. We are strong, responsive to the seasons, and always beautiful. Our roots keep us firmly grounded in our core beliefs as we impact the world with a touch that is ever-confident and feather-light.