Aloe Inspired

I'd recently given birth to our second child, Molly, and was busy being mum at home to both her and our two-year-old son, Harry. During July that year, I'd made a huge decision to sell my business of three-and-a-half years. I'd been busy running a bridal boutique and absolutely loved what I did. However, once I'd had my little ones I was then having to pay full-time staff on top of all the other overheads, and there just wasn't enough left for me at the end of each month – yet I still had all the stress and responsibility.
As much as I loved being mum at home, I soon realised that I needed something more. Forever had been in my life for the previous eighteen years as my mum had built an amazing business during this time. Eleven years later, my sister also joined the business and has been a real inspiration. I've always seen how hard they have both worked to achieve a fabulous lifestyle and I really wanted to be part of that too. It still makes me giggle though, as my sister and I both swore we'd never join! I even banned any Forever conversation between them in my presence as it was all they seemed to talk about!
From making the decision that the time was right for me, my business flew pretty quickly. I had a sense of urgency as knew that I needed an extra £600 per month to replace my shop income. In three months I'd achieved this, had built an amazing team and made some wonderful friends. Six months later I made Manager position; I couldn't quite believe it! My income is more than I'd thought possible when I started and I've also achieved Earned Incentive thanks to an amazing and supportive team. It's amazing what happens when you set solid goals!
It's not always easy, and yes it is a balancing act, and sometimes you do need to give up a few other things in order to make the time to grow your business.
I have some fabulous people in my team who I know aren't far behind me, and helping them is just so inspiring. We all make sure we are at every event, whether it be a Success Express, the Global Rally, or the BPs and trainings. This has been so important in helping to keep everyone motivated and excited.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to my mum and my sister for not giving up on me and for being such fantastic role models. I see the wonderful lives they live, and being able to do the same for my family is my greatest achievement.

Kyra was working as a Deputy Director at a Women’s and Children’s Charity…
I had worked in this career to a high position after twenty years of investment and study when I was introduced to the opportunity. My job role took up fifty-to-sixty hours a week and by the time I got home to my beautiful daughters and husband I was exhausted.
I was passionate about the work I did and wasn’t looking for another option, but I knew my life wasn’t in balance and the mounting debts we had indicated that the job wasn’t financially or emotionally meeting our family’s needs.
With great trepidation I took a look at the business and saw a way of earning an additional £300 that could ease the pressure. I took a chance and got started in August 2015.
What happened next still feels surreal; I was able to get the financial return on my investment of starting the business within ten days and by the end of the month I could see the profit in my purse.
As a family we began to breathe. Working in the pockets of time around my demanding job I was able to build my business from home and within six months matched my corporate income. Ten months later I had cleared any debt we had. I was in a position to leave my job, be a mum at home and have an income where we didn’t have to reduce our family requirements.
Almost four years on, I am still a mum working from home. I am there for my children every day, I never miss an Irish dance competition, a school event, or have to leave them when they are unwell.
I have the privilege to work in the leadership team in Ireland, but my business now spans the globe. World travel is part of my year as Forever provides incredible opportunities to those who work hard in their businesses. My family and I were gifted with a Mediterranean cruise, my husband joined me on a trip to America and I have travelled to the Middle East, Europe and the USA numerous times as a thank you from the company.
The positivity and the integrity of this business is refreshing. I have made lifelong friends and supported others to bring another income stream into their homes. It offers you an opportunity to create a life that you deserve. I am thankful every day for the TIME it has given me for my family. I am Forever Proud.

Claire started her business in January 2014 whilst on maternity leave from a career in education…
I had been searching for a way for me to be a full-time mum but not have to compromise on lifestyle. I suppose when I look back, I also knew I craved success, financial independence and that I wanted to set a great example for my children.
Very quickly I had developed an income that gave me the confidence in myself and belief in the company that I could develop a serious career with Forever and I made the decision not to return to work at the end of my maternity leave in June 2014. In fact, six months in and I was earning more than my full-time monthly wage, working part time around my daughter.
This wasn’t without a very sceptical start. Network marketing was new to me and seeing for myself that I could, in fact, develop a serious career, as well as feeling fulfilled as a mum, made me feel both excited and sceptical. I could see others developing successful businesses so I developed the attitude that if they can, maybe with some work on myself then I could too!
I came with a huge desire to change my life and a great work ethic. This saw me quickly progress through the marketing plan and go on to qualify for the car, travel and chairman’s bonus programmes. My income allowed us to get a mortgage on a house we wouldn’t have been able to previously, which was a huge goal for us and our growing family.
I now continue to develop my business as a full-time mum to three young daughters; Bella, 5, Sadie, 3 and Minnie 1. We have enjoyed not only a dramatic change in lifestyle that the income from my business has given us but also the time it has given us as a family.
I feel free, that’s the best way to describe it. I won’t miss a thing with my children because I’m in charge of my diary. I’m not aware of another opportunity that would enable us the same work life balance, lifestyle and financial security we have currently.
Forever is a way of living for us, not just a job that I pick up for an hour or two at a time and because of this I’m able to show the girls that by working hard and smart, anything is possible if you’re bold enough to chase after your dreams. I use the nooks and crannies of the day to work my business, and the beauty of it for me is that many of the business-building activities are incorporated into life as a busy mum, perfect!
Our girls are growing up in a positive environment, with people with great attitudes, and around other children that we meet on the trips away with Forever. The travel incentives have been really special to us. I’ve used them as a way to enable the girls to see parts of the world that we wouldn’t have been able to prior to me starting my business. I feel privileged that the company has invested in me, as the training and the people we have met as part of those trips have been incredible.
I’m driven by being able to show others that you can absolutely have both! You can have the time with your children whilst they’re young without having to sacrifice income, career satisfaction and personal development.
My passion is to help others to see the potential in the marketing plan and help them to learn the skills necessary to make the changes they’re looking to make to their lives. I’m a very proud Network Marketing Professional and am really excited about the future not only for our family but for the people we work alongside and the industry as a whole.

Millicent joined Forever in August 2003 and was very enthusiastic about the dream of becoming successful and financially free, but she didn’t know that Forever had more in store for her...
I was a law administrator with four children, so travelling was restricted but I wanted to see the world. Then, in February 2004, Forever gave me the opportunity to go for a month’s holiday in Kenya, and this is where my travelling dream began to become reality. The opportunities opened when I started sharing Forever with all my friends and relatives, and I could see that the business offered exponential growth. I qualified for the Manager position but my husband Jasper, who was an accountant, was still sceptical. The marketing plan was too good to be true, but he was willing to learn and got to work.
Back in the UK I had also qualified for an incentive that took me to Athens, Greece. Whilst there, we requested the help of Rex Maughan, Forever’s founder and CEO, to see if we could get Forever into East Africa. On a mountain with the breath-taking view of the Acropolis, Jasper and I had the chance to talk to Rex about the East African distributorship, and we were amazed when he gave us the go ahead.
Jasper had clearly caught the vision as well and we left the UK for Kenya in 2005. Whilst there, we worked with a team of other Forever Business Owners and Kenya had its grand office opening in Nairobi in August 2005. This later expanded to both Uganda and Rwanda which contributed to the success of Forever East Africa.
Our hard work had paid off and in 2006 we qualified for an exclusive training event in Stockholm, and by the end of that same year we had qualified for the 2008 World Rally Tour! Our travelling adventures didn’t stop there, and to date Forever has also awarded us with gifts of travel to Phoenix Arizona, Las Vegas, Cottonwood Cove on Lake Mohave in Nevada, Colorado, Texas, the Grand Canyon, Dallas, South Africa, Zanzibar, South Sudan, Washington DC, Bahamas, Hawaii, Singapore and many other Forever resorts.
I’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of Forever as a company and in recent years we have even received bonus cheques of over £174,000! It’s a great comfort to know that we are not alone – we are supported by a great team of achievers – and we truly believe in the business opportunity and how it’s changing lives.

When I first joined Forever, I thought I would be able to operate it through a beauty blog I had and almost be ‘faceless’ to it. The first few weeks I read and watched as many of the trainings as I could. This quickly gave me a realisation that I wouldn’t have a successful business being faceless. By the end of that first month I majorly stepped out of my comfort zone to become the face of my business.
As a manager within an HR department I was a little fearful over how people might react to my new business. I was SO relieved to actually experience positivity and excitement - so many work friends came to my launch! I hadn’t needed to be scared at all. The negative comments I did get made no impact as I was just so engrossed in getting into a rhythm with business, that I had no time to care about negativity.
After a series of launches and a huge burst of energy, I hit the supervisor position and truly felt like I was capable of reaching further promotions. I remember a training event focusing us on Eagle Manager and seeing the reward was a 5* trip to Cancun at the Moon Palace, I was determined to achieve it. Working towards that was fast, tough, exciting and rewarding. I will never forget that Christmas Eve when I hit the incentive. The best Christmas present ever.
Behind the fast pace of my business at the beginning was a vision to create space in my life to have children. I knew that I would need IVF but what I didn’t want was to have to talk to anyone about it, least of all my boss. I didn’t want to be putting in time off requests and I wanted to limit the impact stress would have on me. On my one-year anniversary with Forever I left my job and hit the Senior Manager position.
Success kept coming, I felt unstoppable at one point and was so happy to be coaching and leading teams of amazing women and men who wanted to achieve for themselves. I haven’t been a perfect leader, I have been a learning leader, learning from my mistakes, growing and adapting and also letting go when I have needed to.
By the time I had my daughter Ivy, I was a two-time Global Rally qualifier, a two-time Chairman’s Bonus achiever and two-time Eagle Manager. I was insanely proud of that, but most of all I was proud of my team for being self-starters, self-motivated and determined to enable me to be fulfilled as a new mother. I was able take time off and, on my return, dramatically reduce my working hours with my team. This did mean a drop in income, like anyone reducing their hours would expect. At first this was uncomfortable until I reached a new level of stability in my business.
My desire to achieve goals didn’t disappear and when I realised my volume was close to achieving Global Rally, I increased my working hours so that I didn’t miss out. I also kept focus on my New Zealand team to see them make history as the first Manager business over there. I feel so grateful for my experiences and I know that my connection with Forever will be lifelong. This is the only business I know of where you adapt your work around your needs, ramping up and quieting down when you need it. What I have massively appreciated in the last two years is the global scope of my business and what it has taught me in terms of being more efficient and focused. The way I run my overseas business is different to how I have run my UK one, and I am excited about the change in my UK business to align these. It’s going to take time, but I am in no rush!

Network marketing was not a new concept to Annie as her parents had started their network marketing business alongside another company when she was six years old…
A few years in, my parents were both able to leave their jobs and work their business really flexibly from home around myself and my two sisters. This gave us an amazing upbringing with unlimited time and lots of memories as a family, so I have a lot to thank the industry for!
It never crossed my mind that it could be something that I could do also, as my experience of network marketing stopped at their company and that just wasn’t for me.
After studying fashion design at university, I landed what I thought was my dream job as a designer in London. At first this was a whirlwind of excitement, however, as the time went on, I started to feel less and less enthusiastic. I didn’t feel fulfilled, I worked really long hours, had a long commute, and I hated that I was constantly wishing time away until home time or the weekend. From this job I realised a few things - I didn’t want to have a boss, I didn’t want someone to be in control of my time, and I wanted the freedom to not be tied down to one place.
It was finally a phone call with my mum and me voicing this when she said, ‘Annie, why don’t you take a proper look into network marketing and find a company that’s right for you that you can get really passionate about…’ So that night I did some real research and it finally clicked! I realised that network marketing was exactly the answer. I researched companies and when I found Forever I knew it was right for me. I searched on the Forever events Facebook page for an upline and got started the next day in October 2016.
When I started, although I had full belief in the industry and the company, my belief in myself took a while to build. However, the incredible training and support I received helped me grow and develop. I attended every event, read every book I was recommended, and my business started to grow. Early in 2018, I hit the position of Manager giving me so many more choices. I was able to leave my full-time job and also move to and explore a new city altogether!
It’s creating that time freedom I’ve witnessed first-hand that drives me. Building my business has been an absolute rollercoaster ride and really hard work, but I wouldn’t change any of it! I’m completely obsessed with what I do now, I have met the most incredible people, love working with my team, and I am so excited for my future with Forever.

JAYNE’S JOURNEY WITH FOREVER
Diamond Managers and Executive Global Leadership Team founder members Jayne Leach and John Curtis, started their Forever business over twenty years ago in the summer of ’93. They have since achieved consistent and phenomenal success over the past two decades, including receiving the top UK Chairman’s Bonus cheque this year. They’ve witnessed incredible change and growth in Forever, both globally and here in the UK.

Forever Business Owners today can thank Jayne, John and their leaders for sustained major input into some of the core literature and training materials used globally, and the couple continue to inspire and motivate generations of FBOs across the world. In this intimate interview, Forever’s Editor Kate Hodge asks Jayne to reflect on her Forever journey and to share her accumulated wisdom with other FBOs who aspire to build life-changing Forever businesses.

KH: What was life like for you when you began your business?

JL: I was a single mum, and whilst I had loved and was good at working in farming, after eighteen years of hard work, working with livestock and show-jumping horses, I still didn’t make any real money. Finances were a ‘challenge’ and we were literally surviving from day-to-day. Then I met John, also a single parent experiencing doubtful financial prospects. Together we realised that we couldn’t carry on doing work that didn’t give us what our now combined family needed. Friends in America advised us to find a really good network marketing company, and that if we did, and worked hard, we could build a strong long-term business and income of our dreams. I clearly remember not understanding what they meant by network marketing, but we did as suggested and looked at companies in the UK. Having given it much thought and discussion, we decided to look for a company that had consumable, benefit driven products; a marketing or compensation plan that would outlive us to leave a legacy income to our four children; preferably a private company with proven management, and international possibilities; but almost above all else, to be associated with an honest opportunity we could be proud of. A lot to ask? Of course, but remember, we were looking to get it right first time.

So, we looked at every single network marketing company we could find in the UK, but didn’t particularly like any of them. After attending their meetings, we couldn’t relate to either the distributors, their products, the management, or their ‘style’, so we almost gave up the search. This changed with a phone call from a friend, telling us about a company called Forever Living. Intrigued, we got together and he showed us everything he had on the company, literally a few pieces of paper, a few pictures, and a couple of products. Cautiously excited, we didn’t want that excitement to cloud our judgement, so ‘due diligence’ led to meeting with the then UK Country Manager Dusty Green. Very open and direct, he answered all our questions, so we registered, got some products, and got started – that was the beginning of our long-term ‘love affair’ with Forever.

KH: Why were you determined to succeed?

JL: We didn’t join just to ‘give it a go’; we joined to be successful. We felt that network marketing was the way of the future, and possibly the only way open for us to build a big life and achieve big goals and dreams whilst helping other people. We were ready to be successful; mentally we wanted success. It was never, ‘we’ll see if this works’, even in the early days when there was nothing in place in the UK – no meetings, trainings, Success Express events, Advisory Board, Head Office of substance, literature, manuals, brochures, internet – there was nothing. But we were committed to Forever’s founder Rex Maughan’s vision, philosophy and mission statement, and reassured that although it was brand new to the UK, it already had a sixteen-year track record and the company was enjoying success in the USA, Japan and a host of other countries. If it was working out there, it could work in the UK as well!

However, in the early days of our business, network marketing did not have a great name. It was almost seen as the thing you did when you had exhausted all other options, but because this company was built on values, integrity and ethics, John and I had decided that we were going to help make it the best network marketing company in the UK. We knew that if we worked with quality people, we could make it the best, so that became our vision and mantra.

We also listened to Dusty: he always advised us to do the right thing, go the extra mile, and remember that when you help someone else, you create a ripple effect. He also talked often about the need to remain modest in the face of increasing success, and to accept responsibility for being role models that others want to follow.

KH: What was Forever like in the beginning?

JL: When we first started, John and I sat down and had a planning meeting, deciding that if we were going to build a business, we had to implement a system. So, we got a Forever flipchart and drew out a very basic Business Presentation (BP) – this has since been developed by the leaders into the BP that everybody enjoys today. We started having BP meetings in our home every Wednesday night and Saturday morning so we started inviting people along. Most didn’t come, but the common reaction amongst those that did was that we were somehow crazy; they would tell us not to waste their or our time, to get a ‘proper job’, or worse, but we just knew that it would work, so we kept on asking.

Alongside asking people to look at the business, we also began to use these times as opportunities to sell products. We had no success stories to share, and almost nobody had even heard of aloe, so we simply shared our personal experiences. However, in the first two weeks, we developed a retail base of over 8CC. The first six months of our business continued in much the same way: John, our box of products, a Forever flipchart, and me! We then started training on Saturday mornings after the BP, and the First Steps to Manager Planning Manual that you use today began to develop from one we made twenty-three years ago!

We achieved Manager in fourteen weeks, but every single night I was either doing a launch, one-to-one, or BP. At that time, Head Office was based in a tiny office in Selly Oak, Birmingham. We drove there to get products, and the paperwork for orders had carbon copies. The only way we could work out our case credits was to gather the carbon copies from the orders, add them together manually, and constantly check them at the all-important month end. But it was such fun – we would all get together and often stay up really late counting and checking case credits on those pink slips. There was a lot of team spirit and I loved that we all came together – there was a real closeness.

KH: What are some of your fondest memories?

JL: I remember qualifying for our first Rally. Dusty spoke so fondly of the American Rallies and even though we had only been in the business for nine months, I was already a bit obsessed with wanting to go there – I had never travelled further than Europe at the time.

One day we received a phone call from Dusty, but he sounded quite stern. He said, “Jayne, I need to come and see you immediately.” When I asked why, he replied, “I’m not prepared to discuss it over the phone, but it’s very important.”

I honestly thought I had done something wrong so cancelled the following day’s appointments. The next day, after dropping the kids off at their schools, we went to the office and turned the phones off in anticipation of some unforeseen ‘bomb shell’. Dusty duly arrived on time, but still with a somber demeanor. I’d lain awake worrying all night and couldn’t cope any longer, and half expecting termination for something, I asked him to be straight and tell me what the problem was. He looked at me for a few seconds, but then he couldn’t contain himself any longer and burst out laughing. He opened his briefcase and pulled out two tickets for America before running around the room whooping.

That was to be our first ever trip to the States, and I will never, ever, forget it. We actually had no idea that we had qualified – keeping on top of case credits when it was all done on paper was quite difficult, and unbeknown to us, we had achieved 1,500CCs. The Rally was in San Francisco and we came back as changed people. Meeting Rex and the Vice Presidents, and seeing the enormity of the company; the values, the ethics, the vision, the people, it was all ‘mind-blowing’. Back then, Forever had an American Rally as well as a World Rally, but the only people open to qualification for World Rally were the country’s top distributor and the Country Manager – fast forward to 1995 and we achieved just that and another long-term ambition, to go to Peru and Machu Pichu.

Another outstanding and fond memory of the early days involves Rex. He was due to come to the UK and there was an incentive whereby you could have aloe ‘mocktails’ with him. It was a recruitment incentive, and if you won, you also got a television and VIP access to this exclusive ‘mocktail’ event. I knew I wanted to be at that party. The week before, a Head Office meeting declared the qualifiers and winners, and when Dusty called out the qualifiers, then third and second places, I was becoming despondent at the thought that we hadn’t managed it. But when he called out our names for first place, my jaw dropped open and I thought two things: firstly, that the kids were going to love the new TV, but more importantly, that we were going to meet Rex.

Yet another striking memory was when Dusty phoned to tell us that Rex was coming to the UK with Rjay Lloyd (a long -term friend of Rex and the Executive Senior Vice President), together with Dusty’s dad, Harold. Rex was touring the UK and wanted to come to our (tiny) office, and he wanted us to hold a Business Presentation. When I heard this, I said, “Dusty, our office is minuscule, and so is our training room, what am I going to do?” He just said that we’d work something out, so we did – I remember going to the local junior school and borrowing small children’s chairs so that we could get more seating in the room, and on the night, we filled sixty chairs with overspill guests in the hallway and down the stairs. Rex spoke and signed a book for me, which I still have, and the whole thing was just incredible.

KH: Why did you decide to go global with your business?

JL: Travel is a major passion for both of us, and we felt that it would be brilliant to go to countries where Forever had, or was planning, a presence. For us, it made sense to go there, do some work, and then enjoy different cultures and experiences. It was also obvious to me that building a multiple income stream with a global-based business meant taking advantage of everything Forever offers.

Our first ever global business foray was Italy: one of my dearest and best friends, Maria-Louisa Di-Pinto, asked if she could build a business even though Forever was not yet in Italy. Dusty advised us to consider whether we could personally send the products to Italy, but he backed our decision and told us to go for it. So, every month, we arranged for a freight company to collect a shipment for delivery to Maria-Louisa in Milan; she then distributed the products to her customers. After six months, we learnt that someone based in Spain was doing much the same thing, and eventually, between us, there was enough business being conducted for the company to officially open in Italy. We were already in pre-launch overdrive, and literally every five or six weeks, John, me, or both of us would be over there, without mobile phones, but in a car driving to do endless one-to-ones! When the company finally had their great big grand opening, we had about 200 people in attendance and business in Italy boomed! From that modest success, we focused on Africa and went into Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, East Africa and many other English-speaking areas. We also started an African BP every week in London, with average attendance of around 400 people!

However, at the time, although we had a global business, it wasn’t global as it is today. Case credits didn’t count towards Chairman’s Bonus or anything else other than local income, but we didn’t do it for any of this, we just wanted to build a legacy in other countries.

In those days, if you wanted to work with somebody, you got in your car and drove – we regularly did 60,000 miles per year between us, literally driving all over the country to work with teams. These days we can do webinars, Skype calls, deliver online training, group meetings, and Business Presentations – this change has been fundamental in allowing people to build a global business. Now you can do a lot of ‘groundwork’ before even stepping on a plane, but, as good as it is, technology can never replace a good old-fashioned ‘heart-to-heart’. When you get together with people who share your passion, when you feel the emotion in the room, that’s when things change.

KH: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt as an FBO?

JL: If John or I could ‘turn back the clock’, we would not have spent so much time with ‘time-wasters’ – people who talk the talk but do very little, who have great intentions but never make a call, who hardly ever show up at BP, training or Success Express event. They give you every excuse in the book as to why they can’t do something, but still insist that they are going to be successful. When you spend time with people like this and they don’t perform, all it does is bring you down, rob someone else deserving of your time, and make you question their lack of success as down to you, but it’s not, it’s down to them.

To be successful, you must do more than you think you have got to do, and you must be absolutely 100% consistent every single day, even when you’re not getting results. Always be the student, and always stay humble. Even today, I still learn off others – I want to constantly bring my best game to the table, but I can’t do that if I stop being the student.

KH: You are a founder and trustee for the DABW Foundation charity – how did that begin?

JL: My mum and dad (Dorothy and Bill Wood) joined the business shortly after us, and within a few years had climbed to second position in the UK. By this time, the UK was doing over 10,000CC and this meant the top two Forever Business Owners were to be invited to World Rally – my mum’s goal and dream was for us to attend together, but then she got sick – a little mark on her leg turned out to be aggressive skin cancer.

She was admitted to hospital on a day when the usual nurse was on leave, so a different one turned up. Nurse Otilia was from Malawi, from a little village called Kanyenda which was in the middle of nowhere with no main roads nearby. Otilia told mum that her family was still in the village, but she had come to the UK to make money to send home. The biggest challenge there was a lack of clean water, with the local small river serving as the only source of washing and drinking water for the animals and villagers. When mum heard about the number of children dying from cholera, and that the village had been saving for twelve years to try and raise the £2,500 needed to install a borehole pump, she decided to raise the money from her hospital bed. Sadly, mum died before it was commissioned, but just before she passed away, she asked me to carry on the work in the village. John and I flew out to Malawi and officially opened the well – that’s when we realised that there was a lot more work to do – kids were going hungry and the school was falling down, so our next project was to rebuild the school and kindergarten, and to put in place a feeding programme.

The villagers’ staple diet is maize, but with no means to grind it, the maize had to be carried by village women and children who would walk ten kilometres to the nearest corn mill, have the corn ground, and then they’d walk back. It was just too much, particularly with little kids, so once the school project was complete, we built a corn mill. But there was still one thing missing…

When John and I go to Malawi, we live amongst the villagers in a mud hut and local children always want to come and sit with us. We were sitting outside in the dust one evening, surrounded by over twenty kids, when I noticed one little boy, aged about two, sitting in the corner all by himself. He had a runny nose and looked so unhappy. It turned out he had malaria, but two days later when I asked after him, I was shocked to learn that he had passed away. I felt so angry at the thought that a little boy could die for the sake of a £2 injection, so I decided, there and then, that our next project was to build a medical centre.

The medical centre now treats about 100 kids daily, with families walking many miles to come to it. We have an inoculation programme, two doctors, a pharmacist, a receptionist and a nurse.

"I get excited about the thought of helping someone achieve their potential, and I am excited about seeing where Forever is going and who the next generation of Forever leaders will turn out to be."

I wanted to create something of beauty, because life is really harsh in Malawi, often just day-to-day grind. We built the centre with a terrace and veranda, with a garden fronting filled with roses and plants – roses because of my mum’s love for them, and plants and other pretty things because when a woman has walked for miles carrying a sick child, sometimes she just needs to sit and breathe.

That whole village is now self-sufficient and supported, with kids rarely dying of cholera or malaria, and instead receiving a good basic education. We’ve also taught the villagers how to grow their own micro-vegetables and they’ve started to grow things like tomatoes, onions, cabbages and green beans. We donate the seeds and have shown them how to grow their own gardens. Some of the money raised for the charity now goes towards maintaining these projects and ensuring they remain at a certain standard.

KH: You’re an inspiration to many for various reasons, and one thing I love is your generous spirit. Why do you think it’s important to give back?

JL: Right from when I was a kid, I was brought up to understand that you can never truly receive until you have learnt to give, but I was also taught to get as much happiness out of giving, as from receiving. Forever gave us the opportunity to build phenomenal personal lives, and it would be wrong not to share that with others.

You also never know what impact kind acts may have on someone else. When we were first starting out, a casual friend of ours owned a shop with a room above it, and he said we could use this as our office and training space. He knew we had no money so he let us have that building at minimal rent for one year. Someone’s kindness is sometimes what gives you a leg up in life, and I don’t know how we would have got started in our business without his kindness – I’ll never forget him. I also strongly believe that you should always come from a place of contribution – that’s who Rex and the Maughan family are in their actions, and that’s how I’ve been brought up.

KH: What makes you excited about the business all these years later?

JL: I am just as excited today about recruiting a phenomenal young couple or individual who wants to change their life, as I was the day I started. I get excited about the thought of helping someone achieve their potential, and I am excited about seeing where Forever is going and who the next generation of Forever leaders will turn out to be. It’s quite inspiring and motivating to be in that environment, although nowadays I try to be more prudent with my time as I also still like travelling and being with my family.

When you join Forever, and you develop a Forever mentality, you’ll find that there will be many people who try to tear you down, but I promise you that Forever will never let you down. You can build a legacy for your family like no other, so don’t listen to the opinions of other people, just do what you’ve got to do. Put a plan in place, and continue to work at it until you have achieved the goal that is important to you. Make sure you have a well-rounded approach to marketing and don’t just sit behind a computer. Build relationships, nurture others and be the kind of leader that others want to follow. Understand that you will have tough days, but it is what you learn in those moments that shape you into the person you will become, and that is the person who has the power to define your future.

"I get excited about the thought of helping someone achieve their potential, and I am excited about seeing where Forever is going and who the next generation of Forever leaders will turn out to be."

Don't miss Jayne's exciting new training at June's Success Express event. 17th-18th June at Genting Arena, Birmingham. Book your tickets today at foreveruktickets.co.uk.

Sapphire Manager Natalie Heeley continues to take the Forever world by storm as she secures the number one spot in the UK for the third year running.

As a leader admired by many across the world, a devoted mother to two wonderful children (plus one on the way), and a business-builder whose success continues to surpass expectations, Natalie carries with her an air of professionalism, power and self-confidence that many would envy. Forever’s Editor, Kate Hodge, caught up with Natalie at her beautiful country home to talk business, mindset, and why she’s Forever Proud…

KH: WHAT DID LIFE LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED FOREVER?
NH: I’ve been in Forever about ten years now but my background is in marketing. I was made redundant twice and the second time I was pregnant with my son Will. I therefore became a mum at home, which was great because it was what I always wanted anyway, and Rosie came along pretty quickly after, but money was a struggle. For ten years prior to this, my mum Jan Whittaker had been asking me to look at Forever, but I’d never been interested before. However, things changed when I had both children and I found myself wanting something that was going to be flexible, something that was going to be challenging, and something that was going to give me loads of support because I didn’t have much confidence or belief in myself at the time. Will was two and Rosie was five months old when I started my Forever business.

KH: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THOSE EARLY DAYS?
NH: If I were to start the business again, I would tell myself to never compare myself to other people. It’s so easy to do, but we need to remember that we are all on our own journey and we all come into it with different challenges, different goals and different skills. Every Forever Business Owner needs to realise that they are individuals who are able to make it happen. In fact, the only way you can fail is by quitting, so you need to make sure you are getting up each day with that positive mindset, getting out of your comfort zone, and working on challenges to ensure you overcome them. Self-belief also plays a crucial role. It took me two years to get to Manager because I didn’t believe that I could do it, and it took me a long time to learn that you have to work on your mindset daily.

KH: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO SECURE THE TOP SPOT AGAIN?
NH: It’s pretty amazing to be recognised as the number one FBO for the third year running, but it’s not just down to me – my team is just incredible and I want to say a big thank you to them all. This achievement is also a testament to hard work. When I started my Forever business I worked literally every moment I could around the children, and it just shows that if you put that hard work in, it will pay off in the long term.

KH: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO FBOS WHO ASPIRE TO BE LEADERS IN THE FIELD?
NH: Firstly, it’s important that you do your research and make sure you are clear on what tools, events and trainings are available to you. You should then access these tools and trainings yourself before sharing them with your team. I think the company trainings and events that I’ve benefited from the most are the Success Express events. They are so important as they keep you motivated, they help to build team spirit, and the trainings are absolutely incredible. The Advisory Board product trainings are also essential as they will help to build your confidence when it comes to retailing the products and they will also help you to coach your team. Using the tools on foreverknowledge.info has also been beneficial to my business because everything is at your fingertips and you can access it from home in those little spaces throughout your day.

As well as promoting the company trainings and events, being a leader requires teaching others the basics of the business. It’s teaching people how to retail the products, how to do a great product launch, how to make a phone call, how to do a one-to-one and how to run a Business Presentation, whether that’s a home BP or over a coffee. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel as it’s worked for forty years; you just have to be persistent and teach others. For me, a massive part has been teaching others about mindset. I believe that 80% of our success is down to what we are telling ourselves so I constantly remind my team to work on their mindset daily.

KH: HAVE YOU ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THOSE WHO FEEL THEIR BUSINESS HAS SLOWED?
NH: Remember not to compare yourself to other people – running a business is not a race and it is perfectly normal to go through stages where business remains at a steady pace. However, if you are keen to see growth, it may be worth looking back in your diary to remind yourself what activity you’ve been doing. Look at the past three months, how many one-to-ones have you had? How many guests have you taken to the Business Presentation? Ideally these are face-to-face activities but they could be online, and although you will probably find that you’ve done a bit, it’s likely you have room to do a lot more. Just try increasing your activity and you’ll soon see the results you crave. What I do, and what I tell my team to do, is to try and do a minimum of three to five one-to-ones per week, and attend a Business Presentation, with a guest, on a weekly basis.

By doing this amount of activity, you are likely to recruit one to three people each month. If you aren’t going to the BP, a big part of the jigsaw is missing – the BP will give you the motivation and encouragement you need to confidently talk about the business; make sure it plays a key role in the diary, but most importantly, don’t give up and know that you can do it.

KH: WHAT HAS THIS PAST YEAR (2016) LOOKED LIKE FOR YOU?
NH: This past year has been pretty magical: I turned forty when we were out in South Africa at Global Rally and this was followed by the most amazing family holiday. My kids, my mum, my brother and sister, we all went on safari and we really just spent loads of time together making memories. I had a big party with my team out in Johannesburg, and I also picked up a million dollar cheque which made it a pretty spectacular birthday. When we came home we had a few more parties, so it’s literally been a year of celebration and having fun. Amongst all this I also met my partner, we’ve renovated our beautiful farm house which has always been a dream come true, and then to finish the year off I found out that we are expecting a baby!

KH: WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2017?
NH: This year my focus is being a mummy again. Rosie is now eleven, Will is twelve, but this time it’s going to be so, so different. All those years ago I didn’t have much money or time, I was a single parent and there were lots of challenges that we had to face; this little girl is going to grow up in an entirely different environment. Our house is nearly finished so we are going to be living in our dream home and we can’t wait to introduce our baby girl into the family. It’s going to be pretty scary going back to babies but we are all so excited. I’m also looking forward to working with my team, watching them achieve Chairman’s Bonus and Eagle Manager, and obviously I am going to have the opportunity to meet lots of new mums which means conversations that could lead to them changing their future. All in all, 2017 is going to be a great year.

KH: WHY ARE YOU FOREVER PROUD?
NH: Forever has provided me with financial freedom and for me that means choices; choices to do whatever we want, when we want, without having to think about whether we can afford it. That’s been pretty life-changing for us. I’m also able to work closely with my mum and sister, and together we’ve been able to change our family’s lives. It’s humbling to know that by simply sharing the opportunity, we’ve changed hundreds of lives around the world as well. I love meeting so many different types of people and to work in such a positive and motivating environment is rare these days. That’s why I’m Forever Proud.

"Remember not to compare yourself to other people – running a business is not a race and it is perfectly normal to go through stages where business remains at a steady pace. However, if you are keen to see growth, it may be worth looking back in your diary to remind yourself what activity you’ve been doing."

Forever found me at a time in my life when I truly believe I needed it the most. At the time, I had three young kids, all below the age of five, with the two youngest only thirteen months apart. My kids and my husband Ross are my rocks, my inspiration, and the ones who drive me to be the best I can be…

Before Forever I was a bank branch manager and I’d worked in the same corporate organisation for fifteen years. I had a great salary, a great team and it was my dream job. Life was good but when I fell pregnant with Poppy (our third), things started to change.

One month before Poppy was born my mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer. My whole world fell apart. She underwent a life-threatening operation the day before Poppy was born and I suddenly realised that this ‘dream job’ I thought I had wasn’t going to work anymore. It was missing something crucial – work-life balance. It was clear that juggling three young kids, a corporate career and mum’s illness just wasn’t possible. I had no time, and sadly time was running out for mum faster than we thought.

After I had Poppy, I was desperate to lose some ‘baby weight’, so I decided to try the C9. Afterwards I looked great and felt amazing, and the lady I bought it from suggested I take a look at the business opportunity. I took one look at the Marketing Plan and knew straight away that I was in.

Suddenly I had found a business that I could work around nap times, mum’s treatments, feeds, hospital visits, school, kids’ clubs, etc. I had found my way out, and a way to create the work-life balance I craved.

Forever has given us so much. Fast-forward to 2017, and we have an extended family home, we have managed to take the kids to Disney and I have travelled to places I could only dream of before. With our first Chairman’s Bonus cheque we were able to replace our old car, and the remainder went to Strathcarron Hospice where my mum spent her last ten days (she sadly passed away in January 2016).

The most important thing that this business has given us is memories and the time to create them; memories with Ross and the kids, and memories with mum. We were able to take her on trips, and I was able to be by her bedside twenty-four hours a day when she was in the hospice. This was the moment I realised that the business opportunity has the potential to change lives – it had certainly changed mine!

"I took one look at the Marketing Plan and knew straight away that I was in. Suddenly I had found a business that I could work around nap times, mum’s treatments, feeds, hospital visits, school, kids’ clubs, etc."

BELIEVE AND ACHIEVE
When I was a little girl I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up, and every time I was asked my answer would change. I always knew I was good with people and wanted to make a difference, but I guess I didn’t have clear goals…

Eventually the career I fell into was in learning and development; I was helping people and I felt proud, and I assumed I’d carry on until I was ready to retire. However, things changed in 2011 when I injured my spine and couldn't work for months. In the end they made my role redundant and I spent my days alone, unable to move without medication, and with the knowledge that I had no job to go to. I sunk into depression but instead of seeking counselling, I just got on with it. Life carried on, I had surgery, got a new job, and got together with my best friend Ricky. I was happy again and we
discovered we were expecting a baby; Jack was born and things were perfect!

I was made redundant again whilst on maternity leave, and, out of desperation, I took on a fixed-term contract and forfeited some maternity leave and pay.

This is when I met my sponsor. I decided to start a Forever business as I was nervous about the corporate world and felt insecure with having a child. I saw the potential instantly and knew that I was where I needed to be. I could genuinely help people to change their lives. It fit, it felt right and I was excited.

I got to work, absorbed everything, attended every training and Success Express, and I stalked the leaders to see what they were doing. I hit two promotions straight away but that didn’t mean things were perfect. I had given myself some massive goals and got frustrated when I didn’t hit them. I had to have an honest conversation with myself and that’s when I identified that my mindset wasn’t right. I had let my past experiences affect my confidence
and deep down I didn’t believe I was capable of success. I started to work on my mindset and already I’ve noticed a change in my motivation. I have some amazing goals that I know are realistic and achievable, I believe in myself again and I know Forever believes in me and
has given me all the tools required to succeed.

"I could genuinely help people to change their lives.
It fit, it felt right and I was excited."