Today's Monday Magazine Motivation comes from the August issue of Family Circle, where I found an article on home party businesses called "Money in the Bag".  As an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay, I fall under that category.  I haven't really been "working my business" lately, as I'm currently focusing on my writing, so this article helped to give me a jumpstart to get back into the swing of things.

There's a section on questions to ask and one on home party basics and whether direct sales is right for you.  I really liked the section on smart sales strategies, which gave me some good ideas to get things moving again.  The article contained some really good information, and I suggest reading it if you're interested in selling something like Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, PartyLite, etc. 

You can find another good article here from Brain, Child magazine.  This one warns of the hidden dangers of work-from-home companies and even includes Mary Kay as one to be wary of.  But I say read the articles, take the advice, ask your own questions, and use your intution to make the best decision.  I know that Mary Kay is a product I love and believe in and am realistic about the time and effort I want to put in to it.  Because I don't want to be away from home a few nights a week (leaving my poor husband with the wild children after a long day of work) and driving to lots of different places, I'm not willing to commit 100% right now.  Also, I didn't have a ton of money to put into inventory, so I chose to start small. 

The effort I'm putting into my business allows me to get out and about, meet other women, and have a drawerful of wonderful products I couldn't otherwise afford.  I'm also learning skills that will help me in my freelance business.  The best result is the confidence and pride in myself I've gained through taking the chance and getting started.  A home party business isn't for everyone, but it could be for you if you're realistic about your level of commitment and your desired results.