Did I Make It?

Let's start this blog post off with the information you  have been waiting to hear...did I do it?  The Challenge was to work my new Creative Memories for 90 days strong.  The goals I had to achieve in order to prove that this business can be beneficial financially, fulfilling emotionally, and inspiring to others.  Here is what had to happen for my success to happen in the first 90 days so that being a Creative Memories consultant could stay my full time job and career choice.

1.  To achieve income comparable to my working full time out of the house.
2.  To actively recruit, and personally activate 6 new consultants on my team.
3.  To earn my first incentive with CM, a trip to Cancun.
4.  To promote my Story Stars team and be personally promoted to Unit Leader by January 1st, 2011.
5.  To have a following of people that want to track my journey on my blog., inspiring them to believe.

Ok, here is the progress along the way to my goals.

1.  Goal Achieved!
2.  Goal Achieved!
3.  Goal Achieved!
4.  Goal Achieved!
5.  Goal Achieved!

Thanks to God for helping me to believe in my dreams and the possibilities of my success.  The inspiration that I have had, and the faith has been mind blowing.  Through the work, networking, and prayers I am proud to say that all of my goals have been achieved!

Let's take a closer look at what really happened along the way as some challenges came up.

1.  The financial goal that was determined included both myself and hubby.  It was VERY important to know what we wanted and that we decided together.  Dont kid yourself, it is hard to nail down a dollar amount, but if you dont know what you want to achieve and track it along the way, how are you going to truly get there?  Nobody really wants to talk about money when a dream is involved, but dreams are just that.  Dreams, until you take action to make them goals.  Finances are tough.  Please know that going into this I did not have a bankroll, in fact I had to borrow the $50 signup money to get started!  There was no credit cards to pre-purchase inventory, or help make anything here happen.  Money is tight, and will be but with my goals in place, my success will bring in the money we need to better manage along the way.

2.  Recruiting...oh, Annette loves recruiting!  What is so wonderful about bringing in new consultants?  They have amazing energy and belief!  The real fun starts when the lights go on and they really get it...what can be done, and how can it benefit them?  I love to coach and mentor the self employed and I get to do this everyday with a team!  I am BLESSED to say that our goal of 6 was met, and actually we ended with 12 consultants on the team including myself.  Double what the goal was, and they are amazing winners!  This team is on our way to the top and I truly believe in them.  They all pulled together to make the team shine and I am so proud of the STORY STARS!  We did it...together:)

3.  When I first set out to make this happen, I wanted to earn a trip through Creative Memories.  As a consultant, there are trips regularly offered as incentives and I have heard amazing things about them!  CM treats you like royalty and I wanted to be included.  The first trip was to Cancun, and had two tiers.  The first was to earn a rebate for leadership retreat and the second was  to earn the trip with a guest.  In 62 days working my CM business I had achieved the leadership rebate of $500!  That pays for my travel and hotel costs.  Honestly, it was SO amazing to earn the first tier so I will be traveling to Cancun the first week of February to share my experiences and be inspired by others living their dreams.  I have to say that I need to work more effectively in the future, as I did not earn the second tier which would have allowed me to bring my hubby along.  Mark my words, that will not happen again.

4.  Promotions...now this is a fun part to blog about.  This goal was personally set as a huge challenge as with a team, you are working with others to hit a goal.  The promotion here is shared with my amazing Story Stars as they are instrumental to our team success.  Together the team had goals both financially, and through activation of new consultants.  We were short at the beginning of December when I met with the Bridge.  She was working on holiday gifts and promotion gifts during our Monday morning meeting time.  She was working on a big mug for me, that would say Congradulations Annette Brisse, Unit Leader promotion, January 1st 2011.  She asked if I wanted to see it and being the kind of person that loves to know it all, I said YES!  First, the poor girl had to deal with me asking for a splash of pink, with all of the CM blue designs she had put on the mug...so she smiled, and did that for me:)  Next, knowing that we were still short recruits and sales for the month, and knowing it was closing in she asked if I was sure about the date.  I thought for a second and said " failure is not an option".  She just said okay, hoping that it would happen.  This last week we  have checked in on the phone, text, email, psychic messages ( ok not that one) and along the way I kept saying to her " God first, it will happen, just believe"  And "failure is not an option, the mug is made".   Well yesterday, the last day of the three months I gave myself, along with being the day everything had to be in I was really excited to tell her " I get to keep my mug"!  She just laughed, we screamed with excitement and the best part was that she said " Annette, I will never doubt what you can do again". 
Just so that you know it is not all about me...Bridge was $5000 away from her goal of making director by January 1st just two days ago too.  That is a lot of sales to come in to make it happen...a LOT!  When we would talk, I kept telling her that she has to believe...another side note here is that my friend Heather had made me a necklace with a charm on it that says "believe".  No matter what, this entire month I put that necklace on every day, keeping close at heart the faith that it takes to succeed.  Bridge told me that yesterday she put hers on too, needing $4000 yesterday to make it happen and become a director.    Last night at 9:30 pm she called me and said that she made it and that Team Legacy is now a director team with CM.  CONGRATS TO EVERYONE TODAY!!!  WE DID IT TOGETHER!~

5.  Follow inspiration.  It is easy to say, and you know what?  It is easy to do...no excuses, just put the right people in front of you to keep moving you in a positive direction.  I am SO excited to say that I have received literally hundreds of emails telling me how inspiration my blog has been, and how motivating in their lives.  As of today my blog has had over 1700 hits and it is growing everyday.  It has been my  honor to bring a daily quote to you, and a message of faith and believing.  Also, to share my life and let you into a little corner of my days.  Thank you for inspiring me, and I hope to continue to inspire you in whatever you chose to achieve. 

What have I learned over this past 90 days? 

1.  God comes first.  I had many prayers along the way and am grateful for all that has come my way. 
2.  Faith is just doing it, knowing that your success is in working it...and believing. 
3.  Challenge yourself.  You might just surprise yourself with what you can do:) 
4.  Never settle.  I will be making goals and challenges every 90 days in my business.  I must continue to grow my business and myself at the same time. 
5.  Always believe that failure is not an option.  In the end, you might fall short of the goal but that is not failure...failure is failing to try and not doing your best. 

What's next for me?  Today is going to be a celebration with my family, as they believed in what I could achieve and they deserve Mom today.  Hey Brissebunch!  I believed in me because you believed in me first!

One more thing...as I finish this first challenge and work to build my business with Creative Memories, I am launching a new 90 days blog.  I hope you check it out and follow my  90 days to lose it!