A feature about the women of Optimal Level; their stories, successes, challenges, and opportunities.

What is your background and how did you get into your business/career?
My background is in the health and wellness industry.  Previously to my current occupation I was the owner of an organic wellness spa with two locations in Wisconsin.  I have always been passionate about working with people and helping them find a more peaceful place within themselves.  So at first it was with spa treatments, later with wellness classes and now with entrepreneurs.  Although my work now may seem very different to the spa business, it really is not.  My goal is to empower people to create more balance and authenticity in their personal and professional lives.

What is your business and how is it unique?
My company is called SendOutCards.com.  We are an online greeting card company for busy individuals.  Our clients have their own online account to create greeting cards.  They pick a card from our selection or create their own using photographs. They type their message and click  “send”. That’s it, very fast, just like email, but the difference is that once they click that “send” button, the greeting card does NOT get sent as an e-card, but printed at our facility, put in a real envelope, stamped and sent to its recipient the next morning.

Who are some of your clients; what do you especially appreciate about them and how have they reacted to your service or product?
Although most of my clients use our card system for both personal and professional use, I especially enjoy working with entrepreneurs and independent sales professionals.  I love working with them because, having been a busy business owner myself, I understand their frustration of often just not having enough time to follow up with their customers and prospects properly.  It is my goal to help them with that follow up and assist them in building a strong, large network of people who like them, trust them and send them business.

What do you like best about what you do?
My favorite part of my work is helping people adopt the philosophy of giving into their business activities. As I like to put it: “You can make a living through giving!”  Send out something positive into your community every day and it will come back to you ten-fold.  I love providing people with a tool to express themselves and bring authenticity into all of their professional (and personal) relationships.

What role does passion have in your work?
Passion is a driving force behind my daily activities.  The passion for my business is ignited by my belief in positive change and my care for helping others.

When you first started were you able to visualize your expected final outcome?  
I think I am always able to visualize successful results and I think very big… huge…global!  However, I don’t see a “final” outcome.  I think when you’re done, you’re dead… I see myself always growing, always expanding.

Can you tell us about that final outcome – what will your business look like then?
My big vision is to take SendOutCards all over the world and eventually have millions of people who take a few minutes every day to send a heartfelt card to another person.  With that many people taking daily action to make a difference in someone’s life… it has to change the world!

What were you top three obstacles/challenges?
The three things I found most challenging in building a successful business were
•    Learning to be consistent with my activities on a daily basis
•    Sticking to a strategy instead of constantly trying to reinvent the wheel
•    Implementing only the activities that really bring results, not the non-productive “busy-work”

How do you deal with doubt, fear, and self recrimination?
I know this may sound funny, but when I am having a crappy day, I send out some cards.  If I am feeling bad about myself or fearful, I just make sure I get on my computer and send out love and gratitude to someone else.  It’s my magic weapon!

If you had the opportunity to get the best advice from a business guru, and could ask only question, what would your question be?
My question would be: “What is the secret to strengthening your belief to the point where it’s no longer just believing, but knowing?  To know so strongly that you never doubt?

As you look back, what is the one thing you wish you knew when you started?
I feel I put a lot of effort into things and activities that turned out to be unnecessary later.  I wish I would have known that “simpler is better” and that keeping things simple and taking things one step at a time will result in the most success.

Any regrets?
Not really. I feel like I learned a lot from my ups and downs.

Do you believe luck has something to do with you getting to where you are now?
I believe that luck is a state of mind.  Luck is to believe that you are ready for the opportunities that come your way.  I am always ready for opportunities, so I consider myself very lucky!

What is the best piece of advice you have for other women on their way to their Optimal Level?
Trust in the process of taking things one step at a time instead of being stressed about the “how can I ever do this?”  And before you know it, you are already there.