Pam: Elizabeth, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. can you tell me about your family?
Elizabeth: Sure thank you for taking the time to interview me 🙂 I am married to my college sweetheart. We will celebrate 10 years of marriage in November. He is a youth pastor and I stay home with our kids. We have three ages 6, 5, and 3 and they keep me very busy!!
Pam: Have you ever worked outside the home since you had little ones?
Elizabeth: Only for about two months back in 2008 when my husband lost his job and was in the process of looking for another one.
Pam: I know you are a consultant for Close to My Heart, what do you like about it? Why would you recommend other SAHMs become a consultant too?
Elizabeth: I love everything about crafting, scrapbooking and now stamping. I have always enjoyed keeping memory books, been fascinated with true stories and loved finding out more about people. I enjoy teaching scrapbook (digital and traditional), home decorating, card making and other paper crafting classes. I fell in love with the quality of Close To My Heart stamps – they are truly clear and “stamp like butter” as one on-line stamping friend once told me. LOL They are just amazing! The company itself is very supportive with lots of creative videos and training help for their consultants. In addition to that they are a debt free company and I never had to worry about whether I was going to get a pay check or not 🙂 Why should other SAHMs become consultants? Well if you love to craft, are looking to find the time to put together a memory book, want to share your creative love with others, want to get paid for your hobby or just want a great discount on a craft product you should get the kit! I love that CTMH calls their kit a “try me box” and encourages hobbyists to join just for the fabulous discount. I recently became a Director with Close To My Heart and would love to help you preserve your memories and share your story.
Pam: Do you have any other direct sales companies that your represent?
Elizabeth: Nope not this Mama 🙂 Close To My Heart is all I have and really all I’m looking for 🙂
Pam: What advice do you have for SAHMs that want to make some extra money?
Elizabeth: Schedule, balance and prioritize. Set goals, share them with someone and stick to them. Find accountability. I am giving all this advice because I need to take it myself! LOL Seriously I’m only in the DS business for two years and I need to figure out how to budget, balance my time and family and prioritize. I’m just really starting to get the hang of these things. If you can do that before or right when you start you’ll be able to make money. I am making money with Close To My Heart and now that I’m budgeting and writing things down I’m seeing that more 🙂
Pam: Â If you could change one thing about your SAHM experience, what would it be?
Elizabeth: Sort of like the answer to the question above. I really wish I would have set up a budget (and stuck to it) and prioritized. Now my husband holds me accountable and we are discussing finances and schedule every week – that really helps a lot! Also I recently learned that I don’t have to do everything everyone else is doing and there are a lot of “myths” with DS. There is freedom in letting some things go and just focusing on what is currently working for me and my family.
Pam: Â I know a lot of companies/consultants are doing FB parties. Do you find them to be good for sales? if so, do you do a live party at a certain time, or is it a week long laid back party?
Elizabeth: I have really just started with FB parties and I kind of love them! They have been good for sales but also great for meeting new people and sharing creative ideas. I don’t have one currently going on but am open to doing one. I’ve been reading a lot about FB parties recently and want to start implementing some of what I am learning. It is so much fun to get creative, themed party ideas and holiday specific diy gifts while in you pj’s 🙂
Pam: Does your hubby support your endeavors?
Elizabeth: He is my biggest fan! He actually just literally joined my team because his words “he wanted to be assistant to the assistant to the Director” (If you watch The Office you’ll get that reference – LOL) He is a great encouragement to me, is not afraid to tell me when I need to pull back the reigns a little bit and helps me see the value in what I am doing and who I am. In a nutshell – YES!
Pam: How would one join Close to my Heart and become a consultant? is there a special going on now?
Elizabeth: Well you can purchase the kit for only $49 here http://elizabethmindemann.ctmh.com/CTMH/Content.aspx?id=/en/OBA/Opportunities/Be_a_Consultant.aspx and if you have questions I answer most commonly asked questions here http://ejoym.blogspot.com/p/join-club.html
There are a lot of specials going on in the month of June 🙂
(c) You can get a super adorable “Thank You” stamp set for only $2.95 and 100% of the profits go to aid Oklahoma victims
(d) You can also show your support of troops and country stamp style with new patriotic stamp sets — available only from June 1 to July 31, 2013!
As a show of our support, Close To My Heart will donate $3 from each B-size My Acrylix® Courage stamp set and $5 from each D-size My Acrylix® Home of the Brave stamp set to the USO, the leading, most recognized military-support and services organization in the United States you will find the stamps here
 
(e) Finally with every $25 purchase (including a stamp set) made in June you get a mini banner free
Pam: What is your favorite product that you sell?
Elizabeth: That is a really hard question 🙂 I read somewhere if you like 85% or more of a product a company sells you should just become a consultant 🙂 I love so many things – the stamp sets are fabulous but I also love the digital scrapbook program (FREE to use all the time, only $2.95 to purchase jpg files of your creations or $6.95 to get two 12×12 pages printed) for saving time http://elizabethmindemann.ctmh.com/CTMH/Content.aspx?id=/en/OBA/Products/Studio_J.aspx and the Cricut cartridges make creating such a breeze! With over 700 images on each cartridge, shapes that coordinate with different stamp sets, cards, boxes, purses and so much more they have become the only cartidges I ever use http://elizabethmindemann.ctmh.com/Retail/Products.aspx?CatalogID=1740
I’d love to interact with you all through pinterest, facebook, e-mail or phone. Feel free to shoot me messages or questions. Are you planning a birthday party, shower, or event? Do you need ideas for different themes? Stuck on how to create that perfect gift for a family member or friend? Please contact me I would love to help you out 🙂
pinterest: www.pinterest.com/urmemoryurstory
facebook: www.facebook.com/yourmemoriesyourstory
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 1-717-983-8844
