Have you wondered what it’s like to be a Beautycounter Brand Advocate (consultant)?  Maybe you’re interested because you love the products, but you don’t think you can/want be in sales? I didn’t know what to expect before I joined Beautycounter as a Brand Advocate.  I had never been involved in direct sales before, and I was mostly concerned about hitting the 6 month minimum and what would happen if I didn’t.  I knew I wanted the discount, and it made sense based on what I was spending to do that, but I was concerned I wouldn’t spend enough and that no one else would want to buy from me. If that’s you too, read on.

Thankfully the 6 month minimum is only $750.00, and that includes your own purchases. AND nothing bad happens if you don’t hit it! You just drop down to a Band of Beauty member (which has great perks!).  You can sign up again in the future if you’re interested in trying again. Once I knew I was able to sign up without having to sign my life away or expect a large fee or something, I was ready.  It’s only $50 to join, and if you’re already a Band of Beauty member, it only costs $21.

I really am a direct sales beginner.  I know people have had a lot of different experiences with direct sales companies/MLMs(maybe some good, some bad).  I had the same questions/hesitations that a lot of people have, like:

• Is this a scam?
• Is it a pyramid scheme?
• I don’t want to be pushy and salesy (and I’ve had experience of the one on the receiving end – yuck).
• Are these just greedy companies targeting SAHMs (stay at home moms), making them buy more and more inventory and driving them into debt (certain companies have done this)?

I can’t answer all of these questions specifically for all direct sales companies, but I can tell you about Beautycounter and what I’ve learned.

It is not a scam.  You have the opportunity to make 25% (up to 35%) commission on your personal sales. You do have to work the business to make money. You can’t just post a link and expect someone to buy from you. For some people, they are able to jump in and start being successful really quickly.  It’s been a slower start for me, and that’s ok.  It takes time to build a business and earn people’s trust. Thankfully for me, this is really just something fun for me to do (with the opportunity to make some extra money some months).  I’ve enjoyed meeting people and the supportive community it has introduced me to.

It’s not a pyramid scheme (those are illegal). We are actually selling a really GREAT product to customers!  If you sign up under another consultant, they receive a small percentage commission on your sales.  My mentor/upline has been so supportive and shared so many resources.  She gives time and help, so it makes sense that she would get paid a little bit extra since she’s supporting me, just like a manager receives a bonus for managing the people under them. Some people don’t like that model, but that’s how it works. Also, other than any purchases the first month you sign up as a consultant, your upline doesn’t make a commission off of any of your personal purchases, so there’s no incentive for them to pressure you to just buy more so they can make more, which I think is really wise of the company. You can check out the Income Disclosure Statement, if you’re interested.

I love the team aspect of it – it makes it more fun and gives you other people to work with, bounce ideas off of, and create community with!

There are also different ways to sell – you can do that in person with a gathering of friends, one on one, sharing about your favorite products online, in an online event on Facebook, Zoom, Instagram, etc.

I also like how it allows me to do more than one thing.  I enjoy (obviously) trying out products for myself at a discount, recommending products I love to others, working on my website, sending out samples in the mail, getting together in person with people for a small gathering to talk about Beautycounter and let them sample some products, etc.

I’m not intending to build a large team.  But, if you were to sign up as a consultant and select me as your mentor, I can promise that you would get personal attention and I would help you however I can. I’ve been doing this for almost a year, and though I still feel like I have a ton to learn, I do know more now than I used to! Although it’s not my intention to even build a team, I do think it would be fun doing this with friends, or likeminded people who would enjoy getting products at a discount and telling others about Beautycounter.  I so enjoyed meeting other women in person at the LEAD conference last year, and I think it would be so fun to have a friend to take with me next year :).

If you’re interested in Beautycounter, but still have more questions, shoot me an email! I’d love to help answer any questions about my experience or anything else.