Local Women Cash in By Working Fewer Hours

[Ileane Frank]

Right from NBC News in Philadelphia: Working half the hours and earning double the money doesn't sound too bad, and many local women are cashing in on the appealing situation by selling a new line of products.

Pinstriped suits, demanding hours and the pressure to perform are tough to endure for many women trying to raise a family, too.

But women like Christina Hayford have found the best of both worlds, balancing family and hugely successful careers, by working right out of their homes.

Hayford is National Vice President of Arbonne, a 21st Century-version of Tupperware or Mary Kay cosmetics lines.

Arbonne is a line of Swiss skin care, cosmetics and nutrition products that people sell primarily at in-home parties.

Instead of pink Cadillacs, think white Mercedes -- Hayford has one.

Those involved vow it's not a get-rich-quick scheme, but said it does involve network marketing, which in turns requires work.

Network marketing means sellers' biggest money-making potential comes from people recruited to sell, Hayford said.

She has spent a lot of time growing her team and organizing parties, but after four years, the payoff is big. She's a top seller, works about 20 hours a week and pulls in more than $250,000 annually.

"You can just sell to make a little bit of extra money on the side or you can create a lucrative business for yourself," Hayford said.

Most people who sign on with Arbonne never even sell the product. They just pay the $29 to become a consultant so that they can buy the products with a 35-percent discount.

If they do sell, there are two ways to make money -- either resell the discounted products and pocket the difference or forgo retail profits and instead take a commission on self and recruit sales. "You can come in and right away and you can start earning a couple hundred dollars a month," Hayford said.

Last year, less than 4 percent of consultants sold enough to be eligible for commissions. The commissions averaged $74 a month, or $888 a year.

Fewer than one percent of sellers reach the top level, like Hayford, where they can earn an average of $23,000 a month or more than $275,000 a year.

"Everybody does it at their own pace," district manager Jennifer Kleppe said. "They choose how much time they want to put into it."

Kleppe started selling in July. In just three months, she moved up the ladder from consultant to district manager, working 10 hours a week and making $300 a month.

But she plans to advance at her own pace.

Check it out for yourself at thesite