Krystal Townsend, Latasia Jewelry

Your Name & Business Name

Krystal Townsend, Latasia Jewelry

Contact Information

kkandrod@hughes.net www.mylatasia.com/Krystal

Why did you join / start you business?
After a company that I was a Director with for over 1 1/2 years took a direction that I did not feel morally right about representing sold their garment line to another company I walked away. This was October of '05. In February of '06 I was informed of Latasia Jewelry by my former upline with the other company. Turns out hundreds of those women went over to this company and were having huge success. I prayed about it and felt at peace so I stepped out and gave it a try! That's how I found Latasia.

My "why" is a beautiful 2 1/2 year old little boy that I cannot stand the thought of being away from for 8-12 hours per day. He is the reason I'm at home and I am making more money being home with him than I ever did out in the regular work force!!

Tell us about one of your typical days.

I get up and get my little boy dressed and fed breakfast. We talk and play and cuddle for a little while then I get in here and check all my emails and the message board topics that I've subscribed to and make any calls that need to be made in the morning. Then I get out of my office and go hang out with my son. I make calls throughout the day when they are scheduled and I pop into my office to check any email that I may have gotten periodically.

My son goes down for his nap in the early afternoon so I work during that time making more calls, replying to emails I've gotten during the day and marketing my Latasia business by contacting ladies to book parties or about the business opportunity.

When he wakes up I play with him and work is on the back burner for the rest of the day. I do check emails but only reply when they call for immediate attention. I'm available to all the girls on my team whenever they need me so if they call and my son is happy I help them all I can.

Eventually my husband gets home from work and I visit with him and cook supper and fit some housework in there too.

My husband and I usually watch our Tivo'd shows from the night before and some from that night and hang out til we go to bed. So basically I don't do much, LOL. It doesn't feel like much when the day is done anyway. I just have a good time with my work and with my son and hubby and I fit it all in together throughout the day.

Um, and yes, I DO stay in my pj's most of the day, til I have to go run errands, LOL.

What is your favorite thing about your job?
The flexibility!! I love being able to work when it's convenient for me, allowing me to spend maximum time with my family. I don't have baby sitters anywhere near my home so I have to do my parties when my husband is not at work. So, I circle the days in my calendar that I want to work according to my husband's schedule and that's when I book my parties. And the money is amazing as well!

What is you biggest challenge as a WAHM?

ORGANIZATION!!! You should see my office! I tell my husband it's organized chaos but it's really not, lol. I just look at it and am so overwhelmed with the mess that I don't know where to start. So I never start. I know where everything is but I do not like my office being this way.

What are you doing to overcome those challenges?

Well, I'm trying to start putting things where they belong now instead of throwing them in the piles and making those bigger. I do have plans to get in here while my husband is off work for a week this month and get this place back in tip top shape! But you know, if organization in my office is the biggest challenge I'll face as a WAHM I'm ecstatic about it!!

What advice would you give a “wannabe” WAHM?

Go for it!! Do your research. Decide wether you want to do a business, like me, or do a job. There is a difference. With a job you wait on a paycheck. With a business, if you try Direct Sales, most companies have you keep your commission right off the top of your sales, no paycheck to wait on! Talk about instant gratification! And there is always room to promote through the ranks in Direct Sales. I never had the management opportunities I do now at a "real" job. Whatever you decide is best for you, do your research, check the business reputations of the companies you look at and pray about it before you jump in.

With both the companies I have been with, God has brought them to me out of nowhere and when I prayed about them I felt at peace. I also felt a sense of hope and excitement. I call it God, others call it "gut feelings". Trust it and go with it!",

While you don’t need to be specific about your actual income, please tell us what you are doing (or plan to do) with the money you have earned.

Right now, my husband gets paid every 2 weeks. He makes the money to pay all the bills with, plus some extra. My money is all extra. So, what I make goes toward gas for two vehicles for two weeks, groceries, dinner out, or whatever fun things we decide to do as a family during the two weeks he doesn't get paid.

My goal is to make enough money to pay all of the bills and the extra fun money so my husband can quit work and start his own electrical business. He's an electrician now but he's working for a plywood mill and it seems that his mill may not be around forever. I want him to live his dream of having his own business. I know from experience how much he'll love it!!

Anything else you would like to share?

Have fun!!! I have had the best time in Direct Sales! I get to go into people's homes and make them laugh and have a great time, which makes ME have a great time! I get to share beautiful jewelry with them and help them design complete outfits with different pieces of jewelry.

Before Direct Sales I had almost become a recluse. My husband had to drag me out of the house to even go grocery shopping with him and the baby. I just didn't feel good enough about myself to want to do anything at all! Now, I know I am WORTHY of being listened to, worthy of being called a friend and I know I am beautiful! Maybe not to everyone else, but now I feel beautiful to myself again. That doesn't mean I still don't have some self-esteem issues but my outlook on life and my personality has completely changed. I am HAPPY doing what I do. I know I'm helping people and I'm helping myself and my family. And it is a BLAST!!!

What are you wearing right now?

The old T-shirt I slept in!! WoooHooo