Finding the silver lining
WRITTEN BY AISHA SULTAN
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH HOME AND FAMILY EDITOR
01/19/2008
Before she had children, Sabina Pugh worked in California in medical equipment sales. She quit after they were born but started going "stir-crazy" within three weeks of staying at home. She saw a Silpada Designs Sterling Silver Jewelry catalog at a friend's party and decided to start the home-based direct sales business on the side.
For the first two years, her sales were lackluster, mostly just a way to support "a Coach (purse) habit."
THE TURNING POINT
The family moved to St. Louis two years ago. Once her son started kindergarten, she wanted to build her business. But with no connections or friends here, she didn't know whether she would be able to follow through on her ambitious plans.
She joined a business networking group in Clayton called Business Builders, and met Dieter Pauwels, a career and life coach.
"I was always one of those people who wasn't sure what made me happy in life, so I needed someone to listen to me and fine-tune what I wanted," Pugh said. Pauwels was a good match for her goal-oriented style. He told her straight off that his role was not that of a therapist. He wasn't there to listen to problems. "I want to move you forward," he said. She signed up for six meetings over a three-month period.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Pugh set written goals for herself, such as the number of sales parties she wanted to host a month. She created "office hours" while her children were at school, a time when she wouldn't take personal calls or get distracted by the Internet or housework. She hired a stay-at-home mom as an assistant to take care of mailings and administrative tasks. She ventured out of her comfort zone, striking up conversations with strangers to make new contacts.
Pauwels held her accountable and gave her constructive feedback, such as backing off a strong sales push and letting her personality shine.
HER LIFE NOW
Pugh is one of the top 100 sellers out of 32,000 Silpada representatives nationally. She spends about 20 hours a week working on her business and set some guidelines for herself to keep her family life in balance with her work. First, she refuses to get on the computer after her children get home from school. She also recently decided to stop scheduling parties on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, reserving those days for family time.
"I have a very structured life," she said. Her days are much more focused, and there's no time for sleeping in.
Even she's been surprised by her own success. Pugh earned an eight-day Hawaii vacation from the company this month, and her family recently purchased a second home in Innsbrook as a weekend getaway. She leads a team of 65 women, whom she has either recruited or mentored as sales reps.
She says her career makeover has improved her family life, as well, making her set quality time aside for her children. There are days she struggles with self doubts about her business or wonders if she's neglecting her children. She shares her fears and accomplishments with Pauwels. "He helped me figure out the balance," she said. She credits him with helping her achieve her dreams. "I had a void in my life," she said. "Now, I'm doing what I love."
ACHIEVING HER GOALS.
Sabina Pugh of Creve Coeur started selling Silpada Designs jewelry on a whim. Here, Pugh makes dinner for her husband, Mike Pugh (left), her son, Max, 6 and her daughter, Mia, 9, at their home in St. Louis.
(Photos by Jerry Naunheim Jr.)
Copyright (c) 2008, St. Louis Post-Dispatch