What could YOU do if you were UNLIMITED?!?!

Do you know what that word really means? 

I didn't. ESPECIALLY when it came to money. Before I married my financially savvy husband, I maaaaaaay have been known to put groceries on my credit card. Ha! 

But when you know that your earning potential is UNLIMITED - it sets your sights on GREATER things. Groceries, mortgages, car payments, school - those are all temporary payments. The financial access that I have with my business allows me to think BEYOND payments and on to LIFE CHANGING possibilities - for me as well as thousands of others!!! 

Stop and think about that for a minute. What could you do with UNLIMITED resources? Even lottery money runs out!  smile emoticon I have already replaced my "real job" income, and my checks continue to grow at an average of 20% each month. But what's better.......my monthly donation to Justice Ministries has increased 274% since my first contribution!!! I'm already praying about additional organizations to partner with as THAT is the kind of resources I am plugged in to! 

It requires work - don't let anyone tell you differently. But this is why I do it - to be a river a resources to other people. If my few hours a day can open me up more to flow more blessings onto others, you better believe that I will be giving this "job" my ALL! 

What could YOU do if you were UNLIMITED?!?!  ‪#‎letschat‬

Join the Revolution!!!

Remember learning about the Industrial Revolution?  Everything we enjoy today....the phone you are holding, the car you drive, the TV you watch, the appliances in your kitchen, the clothes you are wearing...everything can be accredited back to that moment in history where some people said, "You know what?  Doing it by hand is just not getting it done! Let's create something revolutionary!"  But still, some refused to embrace the new way and wanted to maintain the more traditional approach.  To each their own, but the ones that embraced the industry changed lives, impacted generations to come, advanced the world, and grew their businesses at unprecedented speed!  

Today, that revolution is our Social Commerce.  While brick & mortar stores will always be a staple in our culture, the businesses that are also embracing social commerce are the ones that will expand their reach, grow their businesses and impact generations to come.  

So while yes, we may be "polluting" your Facebook environment and may even be taking some of your valued employees out of their traditional setting and into ours, it would be foolish of us to consider anything but moving forward.  We are a part of the greatest revolution of our time - shaping the way business is being done.  

And believe me...it's exhilarating!  

http://read.bi/1PLI06R

I Almost BLEW My Marriage!

Many people look at my marriage and think we have a fairytale relationship.  We laugh all the time, eat breakfast together every day, take long cellphone-free walks, and our biggest fight is over who gets the last bite (he insist me, and I insist him.)  Yeah...it's pretty perfect.  Sometimes I cry just thinking about how much I love this man.  It's truly overwhelming. 

But would you believe that I almost BLEW this??  Yep.  You would think that the SECOND you meet someone as WONDERFUL as my husband that you would just drop everything and marry him, right??  Well, it didn't happen quite that way...  

See....I actually met my husband about a year and a half before we started dating.  I was in line to buy a smoothie for me and my friend, when this guy (Johnatan, my husband) struck up a conversation with me.  I thought he was nice, but I was in a relationship at the time, and made that very clear to him.  Through our conversation, we realized that he actually knew my friend (the one I was getting a smoothie for).  He sweetly insisted on buying our smoothies.  It was a small gesture, but it left a lasting impression.  I told my friend about him, and as it turns out - she had actually been telling me about this guy for a few weeks, saying that we would be "perfect for each other!"  Again, I dismissed this match-making excitement as I was in a relationship.  

Without going into too much detail, the relationship I was in was not a healthy one.  Try as we might, it was just a square-peg/round-hole situation.  But neither of us knew any better.  "Relationships take work," people say, and I just assumed that the difficulties we had were "normal."  Both of us knew that something just "wasn't right,"  but there was 4 years of history and comfort, so walking away didn't seem like an option.  But as with everything, you get to a point where you can't ignore the facts.  And the fact was...we were better off apart.   

Even though the answer was clear, the transition was still difficult.  A year and a half of on and off, off and on, on and off, until....flatline.  I remember lying in bed one night thinking to myself, "I'm 33 years old...single...with a cat...it's going to be slim-pickings for me."  Meanwhile, during this entire year and half of struggle, Johnatan and I had hung out several times in group settings.  My friend kept trying to persuade me that "we were made for each other,"  but for one, I wasn't ready, and, truthfully, I found him to be quite boring.  Ha!  I would be tossing out some of my best comedic material, and I would MAYBE get a nose-laugh out of him, and I would think "this guy does NOT get me."  On top of it all, he's Latin, so I ASSUMED he wanted a Latin woman, or at a minimum, not some Southern, pageant-girl has-been whose got a D in Spanish.  I mean...I'm on tonight, but my hips DO lie!  (If I knew then, what I know now, I probably would have actually paid attention to Señora Santiago in high school.) 

Then, one day, while having a friendly beverage together, Johnatan dropped a bomb on our budding friendship by saying these exact words, "Carla, I would like to take you out on a date."  Say what??!  I mean, was I even attracted to him??  Yes, yes I was.  But did I actually enjoy spending time with him?? Well, yes...yes I did.  So why was I sweating and FREAKING out when he asked me out??  I really didn't have any reason to say "no" except for my fear of it not working.  So I said OK. 

And the rest is history....NOT!!!  On the day of our first date, I let my fear get the best of me, and I cancelled....(wait for it)....over a TEXT message.  I'm mature like that.  I made plans with a girlfriend to "get me out of the date."  But, as fate would have it, my girlfriend had to cancel on me due to a family emergency.  So, out of a guilty conscience, I texted (haha!) Johnatan again and proceeded with the date.  Annnnnnd - we had so much fun!!  The chemistry was so thick you could cut it with a knife! We talked for hours and laughed all night long.  That "boring" guy was now intriguing! 

And the rest is history....NOT!!!  Ha!  After about a month into our blissful relationship, I freaked out AGAIN and backed out of the relationship.  It was "too perfect."  He was "too nice."  (Why are girls so stupid sometimes?!).  But, being the perfect guy that he is, he didn't push it or force the issue, he just gave me the space I needed.  Through that, I saw how crazy I would have been to let something this special slip out of my hands.  Johnatan was a blessing - a refreshing change from any relationship I had ever experienced, and in those differences, I almost dismissed him as a real possibility. Thankfully, I didn't let my stupidity and my fear get the best of me this time.

And the rest is history!  For real this time.  :)  We have been married for 10 months now, and I can honestly say they have been the best 10 months of my LIFE!  I learn something new about him every day, and in turn, I learn something new about myself.  And to think...I almost MISSED OUT on this! I thank God every day for His provisions over my life and for blessing me with this wonderful man.  He is truly a gift! 

All of this to say...sometimes I feel like people look at my business like I looked at Johnatan.  "Too good to be true,"  "too unconventional to be real," "too fun to be serious."  And, just like I almost did, some of you will likely miss out on your fairytale career simply out of fear and disbelief.  You might be unhappy in your current situation, but there's so much "history," and you think that it's "normal" to be stressed all the time and limited in your freedoms.  I challenge you - take the time to "date" Rodan + Fields, get to know them, their products, their story.  Don't let your fear misguide you.  You might just discover that Rodan + Fields is the refreshing change you've been needing and the very thing that you have been looking for.   It was for me, and my drive for success has never been greater.  I would be honored to tell you my story and invite you on this incredible journey with me. 

Got 15 mins?  Dial in to the number below and listen anonymously to see if this could be the right thing for you.  You might just find your happily ever after....  

712-432-1085
102236#

People Tell Me I am Annoying....

I often hear people say, "I'm interested in R+F, but I don't want to annoy people on Facebook." Ha! Giiiiiiirrrrrl, we've ALL been annoying people on Facebook since the day we signed up. For me, that was in 2005. I started with my rants about my students (I used to teach 6th grade), then it progressed into my boastful encounters with celebrities (I used to work in TV production in Nashville), to my self-deprecating humor about my single life (I used to...well, that one really doesn't need explaining), to pictures of my cat, to....well, you get the point.

If you think you aren't annoying your friends just because you're not doing R+F, you're wrong. From incessant amount of selfies, to memes of celebrities, to pictures of your dinner (really? Most annoying of all. I mean, if you're not inviting me over to share, then just stop), to pictures your kids literally making the exact same face they made in the last 378 pics you posted of them THAT DAY, to...well, you get the point.

At least now I'm actually offering you something that can benefit you - either for your skin or for your future. And for that...you're welcome.

I can't live without _______!!!!!!!

What is your FAVORITE product? Your iPhone? Your Mac Cosmetics? Your designer purse? Your soda of choice? What is that one thing that you just absolutely LOVE and cannot live without? 

Now, imagine that the creators of that product decided to discontinue offering it at the store where you've always purchased it. Gone. Poof! But then they called you (because they know how much you love it!) to see if YOU want to have access to their inventory to sell it to all of your friends, and that they would give it to you for a great discount and a 20-35% commission override on each one that you sold? Would you do it? You'd be CRAZY not to!!! You LOVE this product, and you KNOW that everyone else will love it too and experience the same excitement that you have!! And what would you do to tell as many of your friends about this product that you're offering? You'd shout it from the mountain tops of every social media platform out there...because you're smart and know that it is the strongest and FASTEST way to communicate to the maximum amount of people. 

This is exactly what happened with Rodan + Fields. Originally sold in high end department stores, where it became the #1 selling clinical skincare brand, then pulled off the shelves to be redistributed through lovers of the products by telling their friends about it. Not only is this genius (because we now do 4x the amount of sales in ONE MONTH that we did in an entire year in retail...and remember, we were already #1 back then, AND we are STILL just getting started!), but this is also extremely GENEROUS!! How freakin lucky am I to be able to be a part of this opportunity? Sometimes I just have to pinch myself!! 

Think about that for a minute. No...think about it for a split SECOND and then message me to be a part of this exciting opportunity! It's never been done like this before, and very likely we will NEVER see an opportunity like this again in our lifetime.  ‪#‎dontwait‬ ‪#‎yourRFexpert‬

Put a little PEPtide in your Step!

Imagine a glass vase.  Layered within the vase, from the bottom to the top, are the following:  a thick layer of plump, juicy grapes at the bottom, followed by a layer of sticky raisins, tightly compressed, and finally, a thin layer of dry, flaky, cornflakes.  The vase represents the structure of our skin, from the inside out.  This is a pictorial of what happens during the lifecycle of our skin’s cells. They start out plump like grapes, then change to a withered state like a raisin, and then end up dry and flaky like cornflakes.

The grapes represent healthy cells which are born in the basal cell layer, or bottom of your epidermis, every 28 – 30 days.  Once we hit age 30 this process begins to slow down, cycling to around 40 – 60 days in mature skin.  In a normal cycle, the plump, healthy skin cell (grape) pushes up to the surface as part of its natural life cycle.  In the process it becomes flat and sticky ( like the raisin) and eventually reaches the surface, dying (dry, flaky, cornflakes) and flakes off.  As we get older this natural exfoliation process slows down and both the raisin and cornflakes layers get thicker, making it harder for the grapes to move up.  As a result, we see an increase in the layer of sticky cells (raisins) and a large accumulation of dead skin on the surface (cornflakes), leaving less room for healthy, plump cells (grapes).  I don’t know about you, but the mental picture of this is NOT ideal to me.  This is where collagen and peptides come into play!  Collagen works to keep your skin plump like the grapes.

Skin is made up mostly of collagen. It is the foundation that gives your skin its support and thickness. Young people have a large amount of collagen which leaves them with taut, smooth skin. In contrast, older people have much less collagen and have thin, wrinkled skin.  Personally, I prefer the former.

Collagen is a protein and is made up of long chains of amino acids strung together, like chains of linked building blocks. When collagen is broken down, short segments of 3-5 amino acids form, called peptides.  Peptides are active molecules and referred to as “mini proteins."   So, a peptide is a portion, or a building block, of a protein.  Got it?

All peptides influence or direct the cells of the body in some way. Different types of peptides influence different types of cells.  What is a Peptide used for in skin care? The peptides used in skin care are ones that communicate with and direct the skin cells to behave in a certain way, such as producing more collagen or to thicken the skin. Because peptides are small, they can penetrate the skin’s protective barriers to get to the deeper layers for an effective anti-aging treatment.

Moral of the story here is that in order to find effective anti-aging skin care, make sure there are peptides in your products that focus on boosting collagen production!   Wouldn’t you rather have the plump grape look than the withered raisin look?  I sure would.

Check out the peptides in the Rodan + Fields REDEFINE line.  This daily system, which incorporates anti-aging peptides, works on multiple skin levels to address the key causes of skin aging: decreased cell turnover, diminished collagen production, dryness, and the cumulative effects of environmental damage.  The result: skin is rejuvenated, elasticity is restored, the appearance of wrinkles is reduced.

An exclusive cocktail of peptide technology, anti-oxidants and UVA/UVB protectants firm and protect as they replenish and repair.  The REDEFINE products boost cell energy and brighten skin for a younger, smoother, more vibrant complexion.  They also help protect against trans-epidermal moisture loss and environmental damage.  The science behind the REDEFINE Regimen is dermatologist proven, the ingredients are tried-and-true and the formulations deliver optimal results.

Doctors’ Rodan and Fields research is cutting edge and the reason behind the smooth, firm faces of the users of R+F products.

Even JESUS uses Rodan + Fields!!

You think Rodan + Fields is just for women??  Think again!  Women, men, children, and yes...even Jesus uses Rodan + Fields.  Well, maybe Jesus doesn't use the products on His face...after all, He is without flaws.  But He does USE the products and business to expand His Kingdom! Can I get an AMEN?!?  

As you may know, I have committed a portion of all of my sales to give back to Justice Ministries, a non-profit, Christian organization created to combat sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of women in Charlotte, NC with a focus on rescue and housing.  After learning that human trafficking is not just a problem in other countries, but rather in our own backyard (and all over the US), I knew I couldn't just sit back and continue to watch the headlines roll in.  Contributing financially to this organization is just a small example of how Rodan + Fields is impacting the Kingdom of God for His glory!  

Check out all of these other Consultants and how THEY are also using their financial blessings from their Rodan + Fields business to pour out onto others in the name of Jesus!  

Sarah Robbins - Gives to children in need through organizations like Angel House, World Vision, Compassion, and to individual causes that align with her mission of providing children with love and loving homes.
Mallory Hope - Funds and participates in Dental mission trips. 
Laura Bangar - Started a local ministry in Mississippi, and now has the recourses and time to take full mission trips.  
Kristin Tracey - Started a camp that hosts abused or neglected foster children. 
Uilani Cordeiro - Gives to the ministries of her husband's church plant. 
Letisha Pittman - Developing an activity center for underprivileged youth in their community.  

My husband and I fully believe in being a river with our resources and not a reservoir.  Maybe you feel like your financial situation is great, and that you do not need any more money.  But what if working this business wasn't about you...but rather you being an open river of resources to flow out onto others?  What if God wants to use you as that river for His Kingdom?  

This is my daily prayer over my business - that God humbles me and uses me as an instrument to do His work.  Helping people love their skin is just the beginning; watching God work through this business is the true blessing in it all.   I would be honored to talk to you about this business and how it has impacted our lives and the lives of others.