Consultant Gemma talks to us about her business and the challenges she faced during lockdown. She also talks about her fab team member Peta and all that she's achieved whilst be a Consultant too!
Why did you decide to become a Consultant?
I lost 3 stone on Step 2 before my wedding in 2013 and when my son had just turned one. I only wanted to go back to my marketing job part-time so saw becoming a Consultant as a perfect opportunity to run a side-line business! I had five friends ready and waiting to start when I did my training and worked my hours around Finley’s naps and mealtimes. I of course ended up leaving that part-time job and now work around my two children. I have the best work/life balance now. I get to spend five days a week with my kids, walk them to and from school every day and I never have to miss a school play ever again! I can also take a holiday whenever I want.
What do you love about your job?
I love everything about my job as a Consultant. It's so rewarding for me to be part of my slimmers’ journeys from the get-go, we laugh and cry together and get through the good and bad times together! I have changed thousands of men and women’s lives over the past seven years and I wouldn’t change anything about what I do! I also love growing and supporting my amazing team. If I have a slimmer that’s dedicated, successful, and passionate about the Plan I just can’t help but pass this fabulous opportunity onto them as well!
How have you coped during lockdown?
I have to be honest, I had a bit of a meltdown at the beginning of lockdown! I wasn’t sure what to do or what to think and was genuinely worried about my business’s future! But after a week or two and after the initial shock had worn off, I brushed myself off, got in touch with all my slimmers (past and present), and started a challenge.
We all joined together (virtually of course) and found a Step that would suit us most at that time and got ourselves on Plan! I even gained lots of new slimmers far and wide, as I was able to help them remotely with Zoom consultations and products delivered directly to their doors! I can’t thank Head Office enough for the changes they’ve made to the business to allow us to still be able to work during these times and for lots of us, even manage to grow our businesses!
Tell us a little bit more about Peta Thompson and your relationship?
•Peta came to me as a slimmer two years ago and chose me from Instagram! She travelled over an hour round trip from Andover with three young kids in tow, so I knew she was absolutely dedicated. She even went to Disney Land whilst on Plan and stuck to it 100%.
As she got closer to her goal, I knew I wanted to pass this opportunity onto her as I knew she would be perfect for the job and it would work well around her family life. At first, she was shocked that I asked her! But I assured her how fantastic she could be and explained that the opportunity is there, and it is what you make it.
She could have it as a hobby or go for it and grow a successful business! She went home and spoke to her friends and family about it and they all saw exactly what I saw in her and told her she would be fantastic! She agreed and we booked her onto training. Roll on two years and she is now a Gold level consultant! Her goals last year were “to have a team of my own at Convention” and she now has six beautiful ladies on #teampeta all doing so well! Peta has also achieved loads of incentivised goals from Head Office, plus one in January this year that I'd created! She really is a true superstar and has worked so hard this year - she deserves every success!
Gemma’s Top Tips
- Show you care. Always be there for your slimmers and make sure they know your door is open anytime.
- Be consistent with posting on social media. Get your personality across as people buy from people and they want to know YOU as a person.
- Be relatable. My slimmers love my honesty and the fact I jump on Plan with them a few times a year! I share my life with them, so they know my ups and downs too!
- Live and breathe this! Talk to everyone you ever meet about your success and your business - you never know who might be interested.
- Take advantage of all online training set out by Head Office!