Chelsea's Story
The early years
Southeast Alaska
My story begins on a remote island in Southeast Alaska, where I was born & raised. In my early years, I grew up on a commercial fishing boat with my Entrepreneurial parents & by age 12, I was fully immersed in the family business, processing seafood for our commercial charter clients & other local fisherman.
My hard work ethic took a "slightly left turn"during my early teens, I became fiercely independent, uninterested in school & loved to socialize (aka. party). I balanced school, work & fun, for a while, but one day it all caught up with me.
My life changed in an instant...
Just 3 months after turning 16, I gave birth do my beautiful little girl. One year later, the 2 of us "kids" left Alaska with 2 suit cases full of toys & clothes, for a fresh start in Oregon.
I was determine to not become a "teen Mom" statistic. I worked hard at dead end- entry level jobs but that barley made ends meet. by 17, I was stretching myself too thin trying to work 4 different part-time jobs & get my kid to and from daycare. (There wasn't a ton of options for a 16 year old High school Drop-out with a baby back in 2002) so I took jobs in the food industry, casino & even did Cutco Knives for about 3 months.
When Krissy was 2, I finished HS via correspondence & that same year at 18years old, joined my 1st Direct Sales Company (thanks to a Mom & daughter trio pitching me "the business" as I waited their table. I actually did pretty well with that company stuck with them for 7 years, making enough to pay for gas, diapers & some light bills.
<Insert the dark years 2003-2005> Perhaps at another time, I'll find the proper words to write about them, but for now, lets just say; I fought to overcome insurmountable odds knowing I was deserving of a great life.
By 25 I had happy 9 year old daughter, 2 thriving businesses, a beautiful home, and yet my personal life was on the verge of falling apart.
Back to Alaska
Early in March of 2010, I closed the doors to my Oregon businesses & return to Alaska. This time, freshly divorced & feeling mighty defeated. At that time, nobody, including myself, knew what I was about to do!
The first 8 months back in Alaska, I researched every facet of starting & building a business in SE Alaska's volatile economic climate. But depsite the odds, 18 mo. later, I'd grown a small Kayak company into one of the biggest in state!
Hindsight is 2020: as a young & hungry entrepreneur I didn't know my limits nor did I set them. I didn't understand the value or importance of having proper systems in place to prevent 'owner burn-out'. I was going hard & fast, all day, every day, determined to prove myself. Over the next the next 8 years, I created, built & successfully grew 4 other companies spanning multiple cities in SE Alaska.
Growth of this nature draws attention & in 2014 I received 2nd place out of 76 participants state-wide, in a Business Plan competition.
In 2017 I got invited to be a panelist on stage in front of hundreds of State officials & Industry leaders at the Annual Capitals Economic Summit.
In 2018 & received my most meaningful & humbling award ever, "Entrepreneur of the Year".
The down side to all this success was the toll it took on my family life. All the hours I spent working inside my shops & on location with my tour companies came at a heavy price. I had been trading precious time for money & dug myself so deep into my own business, I couldn't stop the landslide.
I was burned out & stuck.
Decision time...
My kids were not getting the best of Mommy, they were getting what was left of Mommy. I worked 18+ hour days for 9 years.
I missed countless of my daughters HS sporting events & so much more. Sadly, this realization didn't hit me soon enough, instead it hit me like a MAC Truck on the night of her HS Graduation (a little to late).
As I watched her sit in her chair on stage, moments from receiving her diploma, tears could not stop coming out. She was able to accomplish more than I had by her age, and I had somehow missed it all. I had screwed up and missed it all with no chance of getting that time back. It was in that moment, with sweating eyeballs, that I glanced over at my 2 little boys & silently vowed not to make the same mistake twice!
3 Days later, despite running 4 businesses, I picked up the phone & joined a Direct Sales Company I had my eye on. NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING! Yes, I seemed crazy, even to my cousin on the other end who almost felt bad for signing me up, but I've been a firm believer in Network Marketing & Direct Sales since I was young. I had grew up watching "My favorite Auntie" travel the world, sell product at parties & build several dream houses all through her Direct Sales company (80's-90's).
I knew it was NOW OR NEVER, I had to start building the exit strategy from my current situation.
My first year in that company I became part of the top 2% nationwide & felt secure to start closing my Brick & Mortar operations down 1 after the other. I wanted to retire into Direct Sales, run a business from home, be there for my kids, take care of my health & find the time freedom I never had before.
With my shoes no longer glued to the floors of my shops & with the freedom to work from the palm of my hand, we sold our Alaska home & returned to Oregon for the comforts of warmer weather & extended family.
A shift for sanity...
Our move to Oregon started in the fall of 2020. Just about the same time the company I was partnered with started to make major changes in everything. These changes rocked the foundation of my team, it effected their motivation & the ability to provide for their families. This was a really hard time becuase I DID NOT dive into this industry to lead people in the wrong direction.
I decided to keep my eyes & ears open for the next BIG up & coming opportunity in Network Marking or Direct Sales. In face by December I asked my Husband to keep his eye out as well. I wanted to be on the look out for the next "Tupperware" "Mary Kay" or "Amway" kind of company.
It had to be something NEW in the industry, not another copy-cat company. I needed a solid foundation & corporate structure & the comp plan had to align with my goals of building a sustainable business long term.
Not more than 2 weeks later (fate) a fellow Networker on FB made a post about a new company with all the points listed that I would be looking for.
Could be nothing, but what if this was fate, giving me the sign.
I reached out immediately, asked a biZllion questions & every answer confirmed, this was exactly the opportunity I was looking for.
Everything I could've wanted in a company was right here & only 8 months young. 3 days later at 8pm on New Years Eve, I purchased my Member Activation Package & I've never looked back!
What happened next?
Within 2 months, my team grew to 4x the size of my previous team that took me 2.5 years to build.
At 4 months, my weekly income surpassed my previous monthly income!
At 5 months, I hit a rank putting me at the top 2% GLOBALLY & a top 35 leader.
At 6 months, the retails sales of my team were double my entire best year previously.
At 11 months, I was asked to shared this exact story you're reading, on stage in Florida at our 1st ever Global Convention, with 100's of my peers in attendance & dozens of my mentors cheering me on.
All good things are worth the wait...
I never imagined I'd be in a Health & Wellness company leading a hungry team of entrepreneurs but thats the crazy thing about opportunity, it doesn't always show up how we want it, it shows up how we need it.
As previous independent business owner, I refuse to work under just anybodys leader ship. But our CEO, President & GMD's, are 100% the real deal. They know this industry like the back of their hand. The ability to work side-by-side with them & build this company up from infancy into momentum & then to maturity, is an experience I will not take for granted.
Every day, we have industry leaders looking at the company for the first time. Team are winning like the never have before because of the systems we have in place.
I never got into this profession to lead people astray, I wanted to share my passion for building a self sustaining business with the ability to create stable wealth, with out sacrificing time, our family or our personal freedom!
Today, my life looks alot different than 3 years ago. Most days you'll find me in sweats & slippers while homeschooling my 2 boys. I never miss the chance to spend time with them, throw a party for birthdays or holidays & I take take time off whenever I want to.
Gone are my days of traditional Brick & mortar business. I'm thankful every moment that I will never again feel the stress of being stuck in my shop.
The Digital Nomad/ Network Marketer is the next big wave in business. We can work from anywhere!
Companies of this caliber with & opportunities like ours may only come along once or possibly, twice in our lifetime. Don't let this article be your sign & you don't take action.
If you, or someone you know NEEDS more specifics on why I shifted from an award winning business owner to a profession in Network Marketing, hit the button below & have a look.
Thank you for reading my story. It's not all bad nor is it roses & butterflies, but so far, the ending is my favorite part.
Love & best regards, Chelsea Pollow
"I believe EVERYONE deserves the life they're willing to work for." -CP
