Last month I did a series of posts on how to start a home business with your tax return. When I wrote that series, I had not begun my LipSense business. A lot has changed in just a couple of weeks!

While this blog isn’t going to turn into a LipSense business site, I am going to share a bit today about why I decided to become a SeneGence International distributor to sell LipSense. I won’t write about this topic again for a few months, so if you want to know more, contact me. 😉

First let me say that if you had told me a year ago that I would be doing direct sales as a side hustle, I would have laughed. While I respect the industry as a whole, I had not had success with it in the past. My mom was a Tupperware manager for years. She made great money, earned an exotic vacation, and we drove a Tupperware company car for years! I also have a few friends who are successful in direct sales.

UPDATE July 2017: Since I wrote this post, my blogging efforts have really slowed down. That’s because my SeneGence/LipSense business has taken off. I have earned a car, have 45 women on my team, and have MORE than replaced my blogging income… and it’s growing fast each month. And I LOVE it!!! If you want more information on these wonderful products, please comment or go to my Facebook group, LippyChic Beauty Boutique.

But I am not a salesperson. I’m a blogger. A writer. Someone who likes to hide behind her computer, type all the words, and communicate without, you know, actually having to TALK to anyone.

LipSense Business: Why I became a SeneGence distributor and how it’s working for me

Firstly, I love the product. LipSense is awesome. It makes every woman look like she has supermodel lips. It’s long-wearing (6-18 hours, but mine lasts even longer) while still feeling amazing on.

But, success in direct sales requires more than loving the product. I was involved with another company years ago whose product line I used and loved, and I still respect that company and think their products are among the very best available.

However, what I thought didn’t matter.

In order to have success in direct sales, OTHER PEOPLE must love the product.

You must have a huge crowd of eager buyers in order to make money! That’s the bottom line.

After years of reading and research into this industry, and networking with women in direct sales, I am absolutely convinced that the product and company must have several essential characteristics.

And I’m finding that women love LipSense. They are coming to me asking to buy it. As soon as they see it on, notice how well it wears, and experience how it doesn’t smudge or kiss off, they want it! (See this video of me kissing my baby with bright red lips.)

When I read that my sponsor, Anna Newell Jones, had qualified for her company car in 4 months, I was floored. At the moment, I’m carless. I want that car!

My second reason for starting a LipSense business

My other motivation is not financial. It’s deeply personal. As long-time readers of this blog know, I gave birth to a 27-weeker preemie 2 1/2 years ago. Thankfully, he is perfectly healthy. But the experience of that pregnancy, his birth and NICU stay traumatized me. I struggled with anger, grief… and then depression. While getting back to blogging, something I love to do, was very healing, I needed more.

Once the depression lifted, anxiety settled in. I began avoiding people and hiding. This is not the person I want to be. So I forced myself to start having dinner parties every couple of weeks at my home, even though it terrified me. I booked a spot at a large blogging conference across the country, something else I’m “doing scared“.

Starting a LipSense business is forcing me to talk to people again. And I’m having so much fun! And even though I’ve only been at this for two weeks, I’ve already earned more than I do in two weeks with my blog.

Did you get that? Let me say it again in case you’re scrolling.

Since starting my LipSense business two weeks ago, I’ve earned more than I do in two weeks with this blog.

This doesn’t include sales commission from my team (growing fast!) – this is just straight up retail profit.

UPDATE June 2017: In my first full month (May) in the business, I earned enough money to pay my mortgage THREE times. 

An interview with a LipSense distributor

Since I’m so new, I’m interviewing my sponsor, Anna Newell Jones. I’ve mentioned Anna here before because I reviewed her book. When Anna started talking about her new side hustle LipSense business, I couldn’t believe it. Why would this successful photographer, blogger and author start slinging lipstick!?

Well, now I understand. 🙂 Here are Anna’s answers to the same 4 questions I asked our other participants in the series.

How much money does it take to start a SeneGence/LipSense business?

It’s $55/year. What I love most about this business is that there are no monthly minimums, no auto-ships, and no party requirements. You truly can spend as much or as little as you want.

Who is a LipSense business right for?

– Go-getters
– Someone who has skin/lips 😉 While the best seller & most popular product is the long-lasting liquid lipstick, LipSense, we also have insanely awesome skincare so there is SO much room for men to go super far in this business too.

(Carrie here: True story – I just learned that some military guys love our Icicle LipSense because it protects their lips from the harsh elements and prevents sunburn and chapping. It’s a clear product so it won’t make ’em look girly. I get a visual of a burly Marine applying it and giggle.)

– People who want to be business owners and who are willing to treat it like a business
– People who are willing to learn and work (this is not a get-rich-quick thing)
– People who have a positive outlook on things
– People who are committed to succeeding
– People that need/want a few extra hundred or more a month
– People who have some disposable income to put into building stock. While you don’t have to have stock to do this business, think about it like this: If you went into Target you’d want to take the items home with you, you wouldn’t want to pre-order it.

Who This Business Would Not be Good For

– People who are not willing to learn, to be open, to try new things and get out of their comfort zone
– Negative people
– Those with no disposable income

What’s the income potential with a LipSense business?

It’s pretty wild what’s possible with this business. We can’t make income claims but I can tell you that I personally know multiple people who are consistently making 5 and 6 figures PER MONTH and they’ve been with the company less than a year. There’s also the opportunity to earn a car (a lease that SeneGence then reimburses you for) and trips! This year the trips are to Costa Rica and Disney World.

(Anne is being modest here and doesn’t mention it, but she just qualified for the free trip to Costa Rica in January! I’ve got my eye on that myself, since my in-laws live in Costa and I’ve never been!)

What do you love most about your LipSense business Anna?

My husband recently lost his job. The daily financial stress of that situation has been relieved because of my Senegence income.

– I’ve been able to buy groceries for my family, stress free
– I’ve been able to build my savings back up
– I can fill up the gas tank
– We got a new vacuum!
– My commission checks have a comma in them!
– The total for my product sales alone is enough to pay for my mortgage 5x
– I got to pick out a new car that I earned and the company is paying for it! I’ve never had a new car so this still blows my mind! It makes me feel super spoiled!

(Note from Carrie: you can read Anna’s story of how she earned that car in less than 5 months working the business part-time here. This is the post that made me take action. I emailed Anna and said, “You had me at car.”)

– I feel better about myself than ever before. I’ve got a new confidence!
– I’m recognized for doing a good job!

(Note from Carrie: I believe that this recognition is a huge part of why women are drawn to the direct sales industry. Let’s face it ladies, nobody praises us for putting a shine on the kitchen floor.)

Other, non-monetary benefits of my LipSense business:

– My Facebook feed is now full of beautiful women telling other beautiful women how amazing they look.
– I’ve never felt alone in this business. There is so much support and training that it’s kind of mind-blowing.
– I’ve gotten to show my son what a strong business woman looks like! I love being that kind of role-model for him.
– While I love sharing our wedding photography business with my husband, it sure is nice to have something that’s all my own. Something that I get to call all the shots on.
– I get to help other women become business owners and I get to see them feel supported and empowered. I’m changing other people’s lives! I love helping and supporting small-businesses.
– I’m re-connecting with people that I had lost contact with
– I’ve gotten to feel proud of myself by getting out of my comfort zone
– I’ve actually spent less money on Amazon (Amazon-aholic much?) because I’m not “bored” or engaging in “stress” spending
– I have a whole new group of women friends! We support each other and we build each other

As I said, this blog isn’t going to become a LipSense business blog. I won’t be posting about SeneGence for a long time here. But if you’re interested at all in learning why I, as an established blogger and internet marketer, decided to start a LipSense business, watch this short video I recorded recently.

That’s it! I invite you to take a serious look if you need a side hustle or want a lip color product that is patented and better than other products on the market. You can learn more at my LippyChic Facebook page.