Single mum-of-two, Charlotte Burgess, is inspiring others after becoming her own boss and celebrating buying her dream car thanks to The 1:1 Diet.
The Wigan-based healthcare assistant was struggling to provide for her family, but after successfully managing to lose six stone on The 1:1 Diet in 2016 and finding her confidence, Charlotte wanted to help others do the same.
Charlotte said: “My job, although rewarding, was incredibly demanding. I was on minimum wage and the hours were long – my wages didn’t even meet the childcare costs. It forced me to be on Universal Credit, and that isn’t what I wanted.
“Everything was a struggle. I had no freedom or flexibility, and as a mum to my two young boys – Harley, now five, and Frankie, three – I felt like I was missing out on so much. It was almost impossible to get time off, and I even had to miss Harley’s first Christmas.
“All I wanted was to give my boys the best life possible, just like my mum had for me. She too was a single mum but was such a role model – always making sure we had everything we could want and need.
“When I first made the decision to become a Consultant for The 1:1 Diet back in 2016, my only mission was to help at least one person feel the way I did. If I could give someone back their zest for life, I would have been happy.
“No one believed I was going to succeed.”
It wasn’t only financially where Charlotte started to reap the rewards, but also in how she was as a person.
“I’d always been quite shy as a child. I let life pass me by because there were opportunities that I was afraid to take. Yet, since becoming a Consultant, I’m more confident than ever. I don’t even recognise myself sometimes!
“I won a Highly Commended award in my first year as a Consultant, and for the first time, felt truly appreciated.”
In 2019, Charlotte made the decision to take the plunge and became a full-time Consultant.
“I had no intention of it being a career. I just wanted to be able to earn enough money for the little things in life like getting my hair done, or even making sure I had a buffer should I ever need to fix the boiler or cover my car insurance, without it leaving a hole in my finances.
“Instead, it completely surpassed all expectations.
“My first Christmas as a full-time Consultant made me so emotional. Seeing the boys’ faces light up with what I’d managed to buy for them. It wasn’t anything special or extravagant, but there was no better feeling.
“We also got to go on our first family holiday, and I saved to do my house up.
“Everything I worked for was to give the kids a better life, but I wanted to do something for me, something that would remind me of all the hard work I’d put in along the way – that’s where the car came in and now I’m driving what I’d dreamed of owning!”
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Charlotte was even more appreciative of the change she’d made to become a full-time Consultant.
“Thankfully I had the luxury of flexibility. Homeschooling and looking after the children would have been near impossible if I’d have still had my role as a healthcare assistant.
“Even in the middle of a pandemic, my business was growing. I couldn’t have been more thankful for my dieters supporting me; we helped each other get through such a difficult time.
“It is without doubt the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. Waking up to messages from your dieters, or even your team members sharing their great news, really does make it worthwhile.
“Last Christmas we even did a £ for lb challenge and donated money for gifts for children through charities and food banks.
“It’s completely changed my life, and I can safely say I don’t know where I’d be without The 1:1 Diet!
“I work just three days a week and earning a good income for my family. It’s also lovely to never have to miss the key milestones in my boys’ lives.”
Inspired to become a Consultant? Find out how you can get involved!