One year ago this week, after much prayer and counsel, I fought back huge insecurities and doubts about myself and my abilities and signed up to become an Independent Ambassador for the Noonday Collection.
My thought process was pretty simple: I felt God calling me to do more for the vulnerable around me. There were so many amazing organizations I researched that I could get involved with - groups that helped people rise out of poverty, groups that helped women escape sex trafficking, and groups that were working hard to make a dent in the orphan crisis. I had this incredible drive to connect to the world around me, but with young children at home (and an adoption in process!), I knew this wasn't the time for me to be going on far away mission trips or making big financial commitments. Truthfully, I had a HUGE amount of money due to an adoption agency, and I needed to bring IN an income to help with that.
Enter Noonday.
As a Noonday Collection Ambassador, I am contributing to ALL THOSE AREAS.
By advocating for our artisan partners and giving them a marketplace here, we are helping a mom feed her children who may not otherwise be able. In Uganda alone, our partner group, African Style, is employing over 400 people who might not otherwise have steady income. Mothers are bringing their children home from orphanages because they now have the means to feed them. One of our partner groups in Ethiopia (run by an incredible woman named Cherry) is helping women escape prostitution and sex trafficking by taking them under wing, counseling them, and giving them a dignified, meaningful way to bring in an income. And in India, one of the most patriarchal cultures on the planet, our partners are teaching women that their worth and value cannot be defined by a man.
Over the past year, I have (clearly) fallen head over heels with this company and the change WE are creating for our partners, but what I didn't anticipate was the change I saw in myself. My job as an Ambassador has never been about ME - it was about THEM, our artisan partners, and it was about a baby boy in China who needed a family to love him. Along the way, though, I started to feel a shift in myself. I felt empowered by my business, and I felt a confidence that I hadn't felt in a very, very long time. Noonday has given me a purpose in this season where I'm mostly just known as somebody's mom. When I go to a trunk show and help a customer pick out just the right gift for her mom or I get to see the excitement in somebody's eyes who hears our story for the first time, there's fulfillment there. For those few hours, I'm not just somebody's mom...I'm making an impact and part of something that's so much bigger than me.
And the Ambassador community...I mean, don't even get me started. I could write a novel about the incredible community I've found in my team and Ambassador sisters. These women are some of the most life-giving, encouraging, and loyal people on this planet, and I'm so blessed to be among them.
So, now that I've looked back...I want to look forward. And it's with shaking hands and an anxious heart, I want to share with you my 2017 goal for my Noonday Collection business...
I WANT TO QUALIFY FOR AN ARTISAN TRIP.
There, I said it out loud. (I'm now wiping sweat off my forehead.) They say that goals that aren't shared are rarely met, so I'm putting this one out there for accountability. I want to meet our artisan partners next year. I want to look them in the eyes and hug them and thank them for all they've done to change my life. I want to thank them for playing a role in bringing Brooks home. I want to tell them how much their work matters to our family.
But I'm not going to get there alone...because here's the really scary part...
I have to have $30,000 in sales this year to qualify.
Eeeeeek! I know, that sounds like a crazy big amount...and it is...last year, I had just shy of $16,000 in sales and held 16 trunk shows. So, obviously, if you do the math, I need to almost double that and hold at least 25-30 trunk shows this year if I'm going to get there. That's a big jump from 16...
THAT'S WHERE YOU COME IN.
I need your help! So many of you guys have hosted and purchased from me, and for that, I am SO very grateful. Now, I need you to share the Noonday love with your friends! Here's how you can participate with the incredible work Noonday is doing...
1) Shop with me! When a birthday rolls around or you need a great necklace for that special night out or it's time for teacher gifts, think Noonday first! You can shop 24/7 at my site HERE. (Also, the sale section right now is INSANE...worth a look!)
2) Host a show! It's so amazingly easy to gather your friends for a play date or girls' night. Grab some coffee or a bottle of wine, invite your friends over, and let's hang out while changing the world together! The rewards are amazing, the fellowship is just fun, and it's a purchase you can feel 100% good about making. The spring line debuts in just over three weeks, and it's truly breathtaking, y'all. To entice you even further, Home Office has added some amazing benefits for anyone hosting during the the first two weeks of the spring season. For more information on hosting a show, click HERE. Know an adopting family? Let's bless them with a fundraiser! Not local? I'm happy to take a road trip or hop on Facebook Live with you! Shoot me an email and let's figure something out!
(ALSO: Past hostesses...sign up to host another show with me this year, and I'll tack on an additional $25 in product credit to your rewards as a THANK YOU for partnering with me again!)
3) Share the Noonday love on social media! When you order a piece that you just love, tell your friends! Share my site with them and tell them how your purchase is making a huge dent in some big global issues. Just like you'd share a great new movie you'd seen or restaurant you'd tried, share your world-changing purchases online! People LOVE a good recommendation!
So, that's my heart today. I'm looking back at the year behind me in my business with gratitude and looking at the year ahead of me with hope and big dreams. I would love for you to join me on this journey and continue to be thankful for my amazing customers every day! XO!
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