Today you’ll read the story of Beth Schomp, founder of the Life on Your Own Terms. Her story of dreaming big in business and life is sure to inspire you to follow your dreams and leave a legacy!
Two of my favorite quotes come from the book “Chase The Lion” by Mark Batterson. The first is “God honors big dreams because big dreams honor God”. Dreaming is important. Dreams give us hope. They expand our horizons. Dreaming helps us ‘see’ beyond ourselves.
As a little girl, I had visions of living in the beautiful state of Virginia, having a handsome husband and 2 little girls. I pictured me, as their mom, being involved in every aspect of their growing up. But I also had dreams of being successful in business. My daddy was the President of Fruit of the Loom, and my grandfather was CEO. I knew at a tender young age that I wanted to follow in their footsteps.
After my college graduation, I returned home to work for the company, just as I’d envisioned. But less than two months later, something unexpected happened. I met Russ, a salesman for the company, and it was love at first sight. In fact, the night we met, we talked about children and what we each wanted for a family. We were engaged within 9 months, and my career path shifted when I moved to Virginia to be closer to Russ. Dreams were coming true.
Thirteen months later, we were married. I knew that I would want to stay home to raise our children, but I didn’t want to leave behind my desires to have a professional career. I had seen this happen too many times with women, losing their sense of identity as they stayed home with their children. I wanted a different legacy for my children.
My Career in Direct Sales
When our first daughter, Kristyn, was born, I was introduced to BeautiControl, a direct sales skin care company. I was able to grow personally and professionally during my 16 years with them, while also working from home and being with my daughters. I worked hard to attain success in the company and was a top achiever 15 out of my 16 years.
While I was enjoying the fruits of my work (trips, prizes, and income) with BeautiControl, my team wasn’t experiencing the same thing. They were not earning the income they desired, and I started to realize that my commission checks were coming at the expense of their personal debt. They were spending and ordering inventory on credit cards, but they were not always able to pay the debt off.
I realized that the business model really did not work for a woman who wanted to contribute financially to her household. I started to question if I was really on the right track. Was I helping people, offering real solutions, or was I adding to their household stress?
A New Opportunity
When I was presented with another option to work from home, I knew I needed to take a look. I was cautiously optimistic as my friend shared about her referral business with a different kind of company.
I looked at the business objectively, and I found that the company met all the market trends that were important to me:
- A debt-free company (this meant financial stability and not worrying about receiving a paycheck)
- An impeccable reputation in Corporate America
- Leadership built on integrity and high ethical standards
- Everyday use products rather than specialty products (this was stuff people had to have and use all the time, not just once every 6 months)
- Green and environmentally friendly (a growing concern for many Americans)
- Made in the U.S.A. (this meant supporting the U.S. economy, instead of foreign labor)
- Affordably priced products that fit it into the average person’s budget (this meant that people would buy these products even when money was tight)
Even though it was tough to leave BeautiControl because of the relationships I had developed, I knew that it was the right decision. It made sense from a business standpoint, and it was a simple shopping decision that changed my life.
I didn’t know where it was going to go, but I believed that God put this opportunity in front of me for a reason. Within one month, I was able to match my monthly income from BeautiControl, and I never looked back.
Why Some Stay Stuck
Many people struggle with leaving their direct sales or party-plan business. Instead, they remain stuck in a career that is not providing them the life they dreamed about.
These are the 3 biggest factors that hold people back from leaving their company:
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- The investment of time, money, and emotions. When you’re with a direct sales or party-plan company, your team becomes like your family. You have fun together, grow together, and fail together. The emotional connection is strong. In addition, women often invest lots of money in inventory and supplies they need to keep their business growing. And of course, the investment of time is key as well. The longer you’ve been with the company, the harder it can be to leave.
- Fear of embarrassment. You might think that leaving a company and moving on to a different opportunity may raise questions about the ‘success’ you projected to others. Perhaps you won trips and appeared on the outside to be having great success, but you actually were barely earning a paycheck. In reality, though, people move on to new careers all the time. Doing so shows courage and vulnerability to admit that a company or opportunity is not the right one, and to step into a different direction.
- They are afraid to dream. After you’ve worked for years, pursuing your dreams, but not seeing them realized, you can start to get discouraged. It’s easy to become afraid to dream again. Many people push their dreams aside because they have given up hope on those big ideas.
The Power of Dreams
I believe that my success is partially attributed to my decision to dream big. I imagined my ideal life, and I looked for opportunities to make that happen. Dreams are powerful!
Here’s what I have learned about the power of dreaming:
- Dreams DO give us hope. And when you have hope in your heart, it helps you to take the next step. Hope will help you find the vehicle to achieve your dreams.
- Dreams help you to be grateful. People who dream big are usually people who are also grateful for where they are but excited for where the future might take them. Every day, I wake up grateful for my blessings, and thankful that I can continue to dream.
- Dreams keep you off the hamster wheel of life. Instead of succumbing to the monotony of daily life, dreamers look for ways to create a life they love.
But dreams alone are not all it takes. Once God plants a desire or dream in your heart, you have to take action to make it happen. Which leads me to my second favorite quote from Chase The Lion:
If your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s too small.
Dreaming Big and Leaving a Legacy
My dream has taken me much farther than just having a dream life–it’s allowing me to leave a legacy. I can help others experience the same kind of freedom I have. I am able to help other moms stay home with their kids, but still have an outlet for themselves. I’m able to help working women get their lives back and still contribute financially to their family.
I’m able to help people make a secure income that allows them to afford to live comfortably, to experience new adventures and travel, to truly live their lives to the fullest.
In addition, I have been able to model for my daughters how I could truly balance work and family. More than likely, my daughters will work and have a family. They have seen their mom invest fully in the family and achieve high success in as a professional woman.
I’m leaving a legacy for my children and grandchildren. We’re able to enjoy our time together working, playing, traveling, and laughing. Financially, my business will provide for my family long after I am gone. In the end, it is not about me. It’s about the journey.
Beth Schomp is the founder of the Life on Your Own Terms team. She and her husband Russ have been married for almost 35 years and have 2 beautiful daughters, Kristyn and Taylor, and twin granddaughters. Her family is the most important thing in her life, but she also loves spending time outside, especially being on the water. As an introvert, she also enjoys yoga, reading, and quiet time to re-charge.