Profile: Anke Johnson
Know anyone who is struggling to make ends meet? Or someone looking for a career that will enable them to spend more time with family? Share the story of engineer, former bank loan officer, aerobics instructor, life coach and mom Anke Johnson (Coordinator, WI) who was able to prevent foreclosure and get more time for family with her Shaklee business! Check out her story!
When I started with Shaklee, I was married, in my early 30’s, and studying Chemical Engineering at the University of South Florida. I was also teaching aerobics classes part-time and working full time at a bank as a consumer loan officer. In a word…I was busy! But because Shaklee products had helped me so much with my health, I started the business just to make a few extra dollars whenever I could just by sharing from the heart.
I really didn’t understand the Shaklee business very well and certainly did not know about the potential for growth or income when I started. I was so focused on my work in the financial services industry and getting my degree that Shaklee was an afterthought. But by 2003, I was divorced, remarried and now pregnant with our son. I wanted to be able to stay home with my son and not have to work 60 hours a week, so I decided to pursue Shaklee again, with the goal of staying home with my son and replacing my $55k per year income.
Within a year, I became a Coordinator, but my heart soon turned to coaching. I continued with Shaklee but only part-time, bringing in about $1000-$1500 per month. I started to build a health and life coaching business, which I found out very early on was an extremely difficult endeavor because of the marketing, capital, expenses and time involved. I was determined to make my coaching business work, so I struggled and made ends meet, but it wasn’t easy. My Shaklee income each month was the saving grace that kept the coaching business alive.
In 2010, my brother was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. I left my family for two weeks and flew to be with him and “settle his affairs.” During the time that I worked to help support him through his healing, I lost a whole season of coaching and lots of income, but my Shaklee business kept bringing in the money even though I wasn’t giving it my full attention. Then in February 2011, my husband lost his job and we became a one-income family with unemployment benefits. We ate through our nest egg and had to file bankruptcy in September 2011. By December, my husband was still unemployed, and it was a likely possibility that our house would be foreclosed on.
It was a tough time. My choices seemed to be gone, and it was very taxing on our marriage and our health. By mid-month, I told my husband I was going to go back to a “regular” job, or begin working my Shaklee business as a real business.
I called Barb Lagoni (Master Coordinator, IL) for guidance, and she gave me the direction to move forward. My group volume on Dec 11th was about 1300, which meant I had a lot of work to do to make December a decent month, and be able to pay the mortgage. I pulled together a combination Ultra Cinch program coupled with weight loss coaching, and also made phone calls to three business builders who had been “in the wings.” In 10 days, my volume went from 1300 to over 2500 which allowed me to pay the mortgage and prevent the beginnings of foreclosure. This was my tipping point. I could make this business work, and use the income to help me grow my coaching business while making sure my family was provided for.
Now my goal is to grow to Executive Coordinator by December of this year, and earn $5,000 per month, which would cover all of the family’s expenses. I never want to be in a position like this again, and I now know with Shaklee as a business, I have the future I want!
My life has improved in some important ways thanks to Shaklee. Financially, I’ve increased my income to the point where I no longer lie awake at night and think about how I’m going to make it through the next month. And now I have choices again -- being able to offer my family more things to do and have, like organic foods, eating out, mini-golf, vacations, etc. has been really important. With Shaklee, I have more time for my family, and more time for myself which equates into a better me. And when mama’s happy, everyone’s happy!
*Are you in the same spot Anke is? Would you like to learn more on how to earn more money and have the time to enjoy it? You can use the contact form above on the sidebar or email us at youtobehealthy@yahoo.com. We offer free, no obligation consultation and are happy to provide information or answer any questions.
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