A Beautiful Journey

True beauty is not measured by how pretty your makeup is or the size of your waist - it is something indescribably deeper. When you find your inner beauty, it emanates from within you and comes through to the surface. I may help women find the perfect mascara to make their eyes stand out and that shade of lipstick that seamlessly compliments their skin tone - but that's not why I'm doing this. While I am very passionate about helping women feel beautiful on the outside, I am more focused on helping them feel beautiful within.

When I signed up to become an Avon Representative, I was in a very bad relationship and about 4 months pregnant. I was stuck inside my shell, afraid to speak my mind, terrified to spread my wings and fly. My level of self confidence was at an all-time low and I didn't believe I was good enough to be successful with anything. I didn't do very well with Avon at first because there were so many external factors and so many things I was allowing to hold me back from my success. So Avon was pushed to the wayside for awhile. But when my relationship ended, I had about a month to figure out how I was going to provide for my baby and how I was going to survive doing this alone...

The answer was simple: I made the decision to reinstate my Avon account and start selling again. However, I knew that things had to be different this time. I knew I needed to commit to this and treat it like a business in order to be successful. So I began working my Avon business like a business; meaning that I made it a point to attend the sales/leadership meetings and utilize the wonderful tools provided to me by Avon and the amazing support my Upline and my District Sales manager offered me so that I could learn how to be successful in this business.

Through much trial and error, I have been able to pinpoint many things that do work along with the things that don't. Now that I possess this knowledge, my sales level is increasing and my team is growing at a much faster rate! It is such an exciting thing when you go from not having a clue what you are doing to feeling like you can take on the world! My journey has only just begun, and I can't wait to continue sharing my success with others along the way to inspire them to believe in themselves and achieve their own success!!!

This journey is about sharing beauty in every way we can, touching one another's lives, spreading our wings and flying freely! So no matter what your journey is, make it a beautiful one. DREAM BIG and BELIEVE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!

Making this blog come to life...

This blog needs to be freshened up. I would like to provide everyone with wonderful information about Avon but think we'll all have more fun if I make it more personal. Am I right? So join me on my beautiful journey through the twists and turns of life and let's see where we end up!

10 Benefits of Being an Avon Representative

1.      Be your own boss! You set your own schedule and have complete control when it comes to how your business will be run. This is about you and your dreams, not mine or the CEO’s.

2.      Earn 20-50% commission on everything you sell (that also means saving 20-50% on your own purchases!) + HUGE earnings opportunities and bonuses if you build your own team! All you have to do is find other people who would also benefit from an extra stream of income, need the flexibility to stay at home with their children or whatever their reason may be. People join Avon for many different reasons, so don’t miss sharing the Avon opportunity with someone just because you think they won’t be interested. You never know – this could be the opportunity they have been searching for!

3.      No keeping inventory. You will not be required to purchase products upfront in hopes that you will be able to sell them.

4.      Try out new products before everyone else! You will always be ahead of the curve and have the opportunity to demonstrate new products for your customers and friends.

5.      Tax Deductions. As an Avon Representative, you are self-employed. What this means for you: there are perks that you just can’t get as an employee. Some examples of the types of things you can write off when you file your taxes are business tools (brochures, samples, bags), demonstration products, gasoline/bus fare, office supplies (labels, paper, ink/toner, etc.), cell phone service and internet. Basically, anything you use to help you run your business can be deducted!

6.      Be a part of an amazing team! As a Representative, you are in business for yourself, not by yourself.

7.      Incredible Incentives. Avon wants to reward you for your hard work! Some of the Avon incentives have included free iPads, Keurig coffee makers, cruises, trips to Mexico and many others.

8.      Fundraising Opportunities. Avon has fundraising flyers already made up for you to use. All of our fundraising products are 50% earnings – it’s up to you how you would like to split the profit with the organization you are fundraising for!

9.      All the tools and resources you need to run a successful business. Avon offers so many great tools to their Representatives, so you can spend more of your valuable time on the activities that are going to earn you money. You get full access to our Representative-only website where you can enter your orders, keep track of customers, print invoices, gain helpful tips on how to grow your business and so much more. You will also have your own customizable website where customers can shop at their own convenience, 24/7!

10.  FREE training and support available whenever you need it! If you have questions, concerns or just need inspiration, it’s here for you. Your Leadership Representative and District Sales Manager are here to help in any way we can, so if you are struggling don’t hesitate to ask for some help! Avon also offers fantastic online trainings that you can access through your portal at your own convenience.

Avon gives you the tools – all you have to do is use them!

5 Spring/Summer Beauty Trends to Try

Get the Look!

Blue Lids - Brush Avon True Color Eyeshadow Single in "Royally Bright" onto lids and sweep the "Aqua" above lids, up toward the brow. For extra blue effect, apply a blue eyeliner such as the Supershock Gel Eye Liner in "Aqua Pop" or Glimmersticks in "Starry Night"

Glowing Skin - Achieve a healthy sexy glow with the Skin So Soft Satin Glow products

Berry Lips - Try Avon Ultra Color Absolute in "Lovely Fuchsia" or "Pure Orchid"



Bright Orange Lips - Use Ultra Color Lipstick in "Tangerine Tango" or "Wild Ginger"

Glamorous Green Lids - For an array of beautiful green eyeshadows, use the True Color 8-in-1 Eye Palette in "The Greens" or Avon Cream Eyeshadow in "Seafoam Green"

Get these looks at www.youravon.com/elzinga or contact me for your FREE samples!!

Review: Mega Effects Mascara

The first time I saw this mascara, I thought it was the strangest thing ever. The brush is unlike any other mascara brush ever designed before. It looked kind of scary to me at first, but after trying it, I totally fell in love.

The PROS:

• Applies easily
• Doesn't clump
• Buildable, you can add another coat without it getting globby
• You can adjust the angle on the brush, making it easy to apply to bottom lashes and automatically lifts and curls top lashes
• Gets even the tiniest lashes
• Volumizes and lengthens at the same time
• Easy to remove and doesn't leave residue
• Comfortable on eyes all day and safe for contacts lenses

The CONS:

• "Liquidy", gets messed up easily at first because it takes longer to dry than other mascaras (this is what keeps it from clumping up and makes it buildable)
• Not available in waterproof (will announce if I hear anything about Avon making a waterproof version)

Overall, this a terrific mascara and a true innovation in makeup. It has become one of my favorites and I highly recommend this mascara to anyone!

Comes in Brown/Black and Black - $10 at www.youravon.com/elzinga

Watch the video below to see how it works:

Why I Believe in the Power of Avon!!!

When I became a representative, I was about 4 months pregnant with my first baby, working part time and in an unstable, unhealthy relationship. The reason I joined was to meet new people and earn some additional income. I was doing okay at first, averaging $100-200 in sales every 2 weeks. Then life threw some curveballs at me and I had to put my Avon business on hold for a few months. When I started back up, I was an unemployed, single new mother with very little money and in desperate need of a job that would allow me to be with my baby. I decided to put more time and effort into my Avon business and start treating it like a business, instead of a hobby. Knowing that it can take awhile to build a successful business, I also started teaching piano lessons part-time to give me some steady, guaranteed income to fall back on.

Now I have a few representatives on my own team and we are all working together to achieve our goals and dreams by sharing Avon and inspiring others! I have met so many amazing and interesting people along the way in my journey so far and know that there is so much more to come. It's exciting being in a business that allows me to be creative, have fun, be social and spread smiles! Plus, Avon's products are fantastic and affordable so they are easy to sell!

Perhaps the best part of being an Avon rep: I have learned so much about myself and other people. I used to be stuck inside my shell with very low self esteem. Avon changed my whole attitude and outlook on life - I have done things now that I never thought I would be able to do! Every time I do something new and scary - like sharing samples and catalogs with random women in the mall - I become more and more confident and feel fulfilled in my life. The fact that I have the ability to make other people smile and offer solutions to their problems makes me indescribably happy.

Before Avon I was a caterpillar trying to find its way... Now I am a butterfly, spreading my wings and flying high!

What Makes Avon So Special Anyway?

What’s the difference between the car salesman and the Avon Representative?...

The car salesman eagerly waits for the next potential customer to set foot in the lot and as soon as you are in his territory, he is bound and determined to sell you a car on the spot. He probably doesn’t care if it is the right car or the right price for you; he simply wants to meet his quota and make a profit off of you. He spends time convincing you that this is your dream car and before you know it, you are driving the car (which you paid way too much for) off of the lot and wondering how the salesman got you to do it.

As for the Avon Lady… She steps out of her house with a genuine smile on her face, getting ready to go to the grocery store and sees her neighbor, Rita, walking outside to get the paper. She strikes up a conversation with Rita and finds out that she is in need of some supplementary income. The Avon Rep asks her if she has ever thought about becoming a Representative and explains a little bit about it. Rita is intrigued and wants to learn more. The two ladies set up to meet at 3pm at Starbucks so that Rita can learn how to start her own Avon business, then Miss Avon heads to the grocery store.

As she is doing her grocery shopping, she sees a woman struggling to find something on the shelf and asks her “What are you looking for? Maybe I can help you find it”. The woman replies, “Cream of Mushroom soup”. The Avon Rep helps her find it, then says, “While I’m talking to you, do you like Avon?” The woman’s face lights up and she says, “Why yes, I do!” So the Avon Lady shares a catalog with her and a new connection, perhaps a new friendship, is made.

After she finishes her shopping and is checking out, Miss Avon chats with the friendly cashier, Beth, and gives her a new catalog and a lipstick sample to try. “Let me know what you think of the lipstick,” she says as she gets ready to leave the store, “If you don’t like it, we can switch it out for a different one”. “Ok, that sounds great! Thanks!” says Beth.

This Avon Representative brought a smile to the faces of all three women she spoke with on her regular errands, and in turn, her smile grew even more radiant.

The objective of being an Avon Representative isn’t to be a pushy salesperson. Instead, it is to share the gift of beauty and your passion for helping others, whether they need to find a good solution for dry skin, want to save money on their beauty supplies or need some extra income. Avon offers all of these things and so much more. They give their representatives several vehicles to share beauty and earn money in our own individual ways.

So if this is something you would be willing to try, take the leap! Worst case scenario: you lost $10 and a little bit of time. However, that is an unlikely outcome because you will have an amazing support system to help you build your way to the success you’ve dreamed of!