On Perseverance

My son and I went for a 13-mile-long bike ride yesterday on this wonderful trail we have on the old railroad corridor along I-94. It was overcast, humid, with a slight breeze, but a wonderful day. (It's been raining off and on for the past week, so overcast is totally acceptable.)
As we were riding, we talked about anything and everything. I really enjoy these times with him. But I started to notice something--little explosions of green coming up through the tar on which we were riding. At first I just saw the little tar volcanoes and couldn't figure out what they were. Then I really started looking and saw little weeds coming up through them. Coming up through a thick, fat layer of tar!
Thinking about it the rest of the trip, it just got more and more incredible. A tiny little seed or root pushing its way up through a thick, man-made layer, meant to cover the earth, not protect it or help it, but just to provide me with a smooth road on which I could ride my bicycle.
Mother Nature wasn't having any of that. She lets us know in little ways that we don't know everything, we don't control the weather, and nature will always win. (Just watch the world news--volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.)
Sometimes it's the little things that make big changes--over time those little tiny weeds are going to destroy that tar trail. Sometimes it's a big change like a hurricane.
But it's all about perseverance!
We're in the process of creating a new website and a new membership club for Heaven and Earth Essentials. Sometimes it is so difficult to work on both of these because we end up waiting on someone else, or something doesn't go exactly the way we want it, or we find out that we just can't do it or afford it.
But I'm going to take a lesson from Mother Nature. Perseverance. Stop, think about it. If the universe is saying you can't do something one way, try it another, or think about why you wanted to do it in the first place. I think she's a pretty smart lady and I'm glad she's my friend.

Grand Opening of New HaEE Facility!

I'm so excited for us to have our new facility, I can hardly wait to move in! We are having a Grand Opening for it June 5-6. Not only is it bright and cheerful and sunny, we'll have products that people can purchase on the spot! We have a beautiful meeting room where we will educate people on our products, have parties, and eventually offer online meetings too.

And what a great way to introduce new products! We'd like to start using video more to not only show the product but also how to use it. For example, our Gardener's Friend Hand Scrub--it's perfect for after working outside. The ground luffa and pumice get into all the nooks and crannies and get your hands as clean as can be. And you don't have to smell like a man or oranges afterward, we'll make it in any of our over 300 scents!

In conjunction with our new facility, we will be releasing our new website, which is much easier to navigate and has a clean, botanical look and more functionality.

Want more? Okay... How about a new Membership Club? We are working with some of our key customers to develop a club that gives everyone deals on current products, special products and exclusive perfumes, and more!

We've been very busy the last few months--and it's so satisfying because so much is being improved--and sometimes I don't know if I'm actually working or just dreaming that I am. It's been known to happen!

Telling it Like it is--Whether You Want to Hear it or Not

I spent part of my day today talking with my brother. He has been in sales and marketing all his life (yes, ALL his life--even as a little kid he was always trying to sell something to someone!), and right now he is starting up his own Marketing company (Tru-Market.com). He is also helping Heaven and Earth Essentials with some new marketing programs and new website this year.

There are very few people in my world that tell it like it is...most sugarcoat what they want to say, or try to be diplomatic so as not to hurt my feelings. That's what I like about my brother. He is one of the few people that say exactly what the deal is, and he can get away with it because he isn't malicious about it. He lays it out on the table. Don't like it? Too bad. Get used to it.

Do I like hearing the facts like that? Not always. But sometimes we need that jolt so we make the changes that are necessary to move forward. Sometimes we get so set in our ways that it's hard to make that change, easier to just keep doing what we've always done. My favorite comment of his today was telling me exactly what was holding me back on a particular issue. He said to look in the mirror. Ouch....

So, Doug, I WAS listening, and I DID take notes while we were talking on the phone today. You have a lot of great ideas, and we will implement them as we can...just not all at once. I'm accomplishing one right now as I type this (I can check this one off the list--check!).

The More I Learn, the More I Realize I Don't Know

Over the past year, I've done a lot of research. I've probably learned more than when I was back in college, but maybe that's just because I have more control over what I'm learning. I'm learning because I want to. And I've definitely learned more than I learned in my previous corporate job (in 7 years), but we aren't going there.


I'm becoming more active in our real-world community, which is also opening up doors to learning new things. For example, who to talk to about what, who to get quotes from on products and services, where to advertise what, and of course who not to talk to and why. I'm learning about all these neat little niche communities and websites and magazines. I've always known there were thousands out there, but then you learn about one or several in your own backyard and wow! I didn't know. (Why didn't I know?)


My real world is expanding and I'm feeling smaller and smaller. I know that's normal, look how big our world is! And it's composed of millions and billions of littler worlds. Wow, it can really be overwhelming. There's times when I just want to draw a hot bath, lock the bathroom door, and keep the world out. I never actually get to do that, of course, but the thought is often present!





Thank goodness for good friends to help keep me sane, or at least put up with me while I lose it! And big thanks to my little dog, Shamus, who is a good listener while I rant and rave. He doesn't repeat anything he hears and seldom complains about my insanity.

I'm going to my first Chamber of Commerce event soon, we'll see how that goes. Who knows, maybe I'll learn something?