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| Mark and Carmen Jamtgaard, pictured with their family at home in Britt, say the decision to run their own wellness business came after watching family members struggle with their health. (News-Tribune photo by Mary Loden) |
Business owners find niche at home
By Mary Loden, Of the News-Tribune
Home may be where the heart is, but for the business people featured in the first of this two-part series, it's also where the money is
Home-based businesses are the life-blood of America and many people in Britt have joined the millions of entrepreneurs who start one each year. In the work market this sector is continuing to expand, fueled by full-time business owners and part-time entrepreneurs.
Multi-Level Marketers
Jill Carlson found her niche after being invited to a home party showing Upper Case Living, decorative expressions for walls. "I got invited to a party and right there I was sold," Carlson said. "I don't make a lot of money at it, but it's extra income."
Some people become distributors of a product so they can purchase it wholesale for their own use. Some would like to supplement their income by selling their product to others. A third group of people see the business potential and by sharing their product and knowledge with others are able to expand their business by creating a sales team.
Carlson conducts her business mainly through "book parties," sales generated through a circulated catalog. For now, she is happy selling something she loves and generating a small income.
But that doesn't mean she couldn't take her business to the next level. "It's a fairly new company. I thought I would get in while the idea was still new and fresh," Carlson said. "I'm the only dealer in Britt who sells it."
The secret is finding a product or a company that is a good fit. "I tried Avon and Mary Kay, neither one did anything for me," Carlson said.
For Karie Terhark, jewelry was her trigger. She also was invited to a home party, this one was for the Lia Sophia jewelry line.
"I fell in love with the jewelry so I decided to have a show of my own. At the show I just had the feeling I should do this. It was like a calling for me. And It kind of went from there," Terhark said. This coming summer will be three years with the company.
Is it working for her?
"Absolutely," she said. "When I went into it I didn't go into it to make a business out of it." But when you love something you want to share it.
"Once I realized the potential it was no longer a hobby, but a business. I like to do two shows a week - just go into homes and have fun," Terhark said.
That led to becoming a unit manager with the growing company. Within a short time she built a team of 20 girls in five states to work with her.
Last year her earnings with Lia Sophia matched her income from working full-time as the human resource coordinator for Concord Care Center in Garner. She enjoys her job and she has somewhat flexible hours, "but I still work on someone else's schedule," she said.
Her goal is to be promoted to division manager and add one new person to her sales team each month. "I don't look at it as recruiting, but "pay it forward,' because of what it has done for me," Terhark said.
Mark and Carmen Jamtgaard knew they needed to make some changes in their lives after watching loved ones struggle with health issues and pass away.
They were introduced to Nikken magnetics, water filtration and whole food nutrition.
Although they were skeptical, they tried the products and noticed positive changes in their own health and well-being. A year later they found another company whose product complimented Nikken's.
“We went into wellness consulting,” Mark said. “There were two companies we found that we wanted to share with others. In sharing we decided to make it into our business.”
Mark works for Clear Lake Public Schools and Carmen works part-time at the hospital.
“We've grown up in this area, we know what the economy is like,” Mark said. “There's not a lot of high paying jobs and you never know if you'll have a job.”
Still, Carmen admitted that she was the one who was really looking for a business opportunity, not Mark.
“What's that one thing I can do,” Carmen said she asked herself.
She said she looked into Tupperware, cosmetics and interior design but wasn't sold on any of them. “The only thing you have is yourself - without all this other stuff,” she said.
“We knew we would have to do something home-based - something helpful and useful.”
That is why they were so receptive when the right product line came along but it had to fit their needs.That was over three years ago.
“We were looking for a business where we could be flexible and make it by our own efforts,” Carmen said.
“And we didn't want to have a lot of inventory,” Mark said. “We have products we use on hand or happened to show. Orders get dropshipped to the customer.”
A year later they became distributors for Xango Juice. Now they can offer their customers a complete total wellness portfolio, for internal and external health.
“We want people to be educated. We give them information. If they are interested they can try out the products or we will show you how to go into business for yourself,” Mark said. “We're in business for ourselves but not by ourselves.”
To keep their entrepreneurial juices flowing the Jamtgaards read a lot of motivational books.
Mark said, “Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki, in their book “Why We Want you To Be Rich”, both said everyone should have a home-based business.”
Story created Mar 11, 2008 - 09:20:23 CDT.
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