By Johanna Payne, Scentsy Archivist 

 

As I write this blog, I am sitting in the Conference Center of the beautiful Aventura Spa Palace Resort in Riviera Maya. It is a balmy 82 degrees outside and I’m watching Scentsy Consultants walk by in shorts, flip flops and t-shirts. I have to admit, this is much nicer weather than the 30 degrees at the home office in Meridian, Idaho.

I am among the lucky few at Scentsy who were selected to attend Leadership. I am using this opportunity to meet Consultants and learn about their history with Scentsy. These are all vital parts of my role as Archivist.

Leadership is a one week event that is held each January. Only Directors, Star Directors and SuperStar Directors can attend. It is an opportunity for attendees to receive specialized training to help them be better team leaders. It is also a time to renew friendships with their team and with other Consultants. I loved watching Consultants greet each other with hugs and smiles on the first day of Leadership. I can tell that, in many cases, these are lifelong friendships that have formed.

Scentsy began having official Leadership events in January of 2008. This first meeting was held in the Lanark distribution center in Meridian. There were only a handful of Consultants in attendance. This year, there were over 800 Consultants and guests that attended. It is amazing to see the growth that has taken place in seven short years.

During the week, I was able to talk personally with over 100 Consultants. One thing they all agreed on was how much Scentsy has changed their lives.  One Consultant I met from New England shared her experience with Scentsy. She was diagnosed with depression five years ago. Her sister from Texas introduced her to Scentsy, and the fragrance in her home made her feel better.  She decided she wanted others to have that same experience, so she joined Scentsy and was made a Director in one year. She attended her first Leadership event in 2010—a cruise to the Bahamas.  But the trip actually posed new hurdles for her because, along with her depression, she has agoraphobia—a fear of large crowds. It’s almost impossible to avoid crowds on a cruise ship, but she was determined to go through with it. Her husband helped by standing in line to get her food, and her team leaders and other Consultants helped, too. In the end, it was all worth it because she put the tools she learned to work and was promoted to Star Director two months later. Even more important, she overcame a significant personal challenge to grow as a person and leader. She said her goal for 2012 is to attend Scentsy’s Convention, which is expected to have an attendance of well over 10,000 people. I am amazed at her dedication and perseverance.

After spending the week listening to these motivating stories and experiences, it makes me proud to work for Scentsy. It also makes me appreciate the dedication and enthusiasm that Consultants have for Scentsy. I feel privileged to have had the chance to attend Leadership, and I look forward to meeting my new friends at future events.