Hi friends! I hope your week is off to a great start. Mondays are officially one of my favorite days of the week because I get to work – on my side hustles – from home (a.k.a. blog stuff, (new!) virtual assistant work, and Beautycounter). Speaking of Beautycounter… today is a special day: it’s my one year anniversary with Beautycounter! It’s kind of hard to believe it has been 365 days since I said “YES” to building a business with this incredible company (who, might I add, is six years young today!). Yep, we have the same anniversary. 

I figured now would be a better time than ever to chat about my experience and answer some frequently asked questions (FAQs). So, if you’ve been secretly curious about my clean beauty business, or the thought to jump on board yourself has been simmering on the back burner, this is for you!

Beautycounter Business FAQs

What does it cost?
It costs $98 to enroll as a consultant, which includes a personalized website, supportive back office, marketing materials, an extensive training platform called Counter University, two full-sized products… oh, and me as your mentor! It’s honestly an amazing deal for the quality of what you get in return (in other words, it’s less than a $100 investment to start your own business!).

Do I have have to sell a certain amount?
There are no monthly selling minimums. You do have to sell $1,200 in qualifying volume (orders from others + your own purchases) every 6 months. This may sound daunting, but it is extremely doable if you consistently work your business. Plus, if you just wanted to join for the product discount and to share with family and friends, a couple orders a month in addition to your own orders will get you there.

What if I don’t hit the minimums?
Don’t worry! Nothing big, bad, or scary happens. If you don’t hit the minimum in 6 months then you will simply be bumped down to a Band of Beauty Member, Beautycounter’s customer loyalty program which has amazing perks like free shipping and product credit on every order. Plus, you can always re-join!

I am not into sales and have no idea how to do this kind of work.
Then don’t sell, SHARE. Honestly, it’s not much different than sharing a delicious restaurant or kick ass pair of running shoes with a good friend. Beautycounter is an education-first B Corporation, so before all else, you are an Educator, teaching people about the highly unregulated beauty industry, and the need for change. Mix education with your authentic passion and belief in Beautycounter’s mission, and the high-performing products sell themselves.

But selling products is annoying. I don’t want to be one of “those people.”
Direct sales often gets a bad rap. If you decide to become a consultant solely for the money, that will shine through, and it may come across as annoying. If you sign up because you love the products and/or the mission, you’re golden. People love recommendations that are genuine. Don’t you tell your friends when you find the best coffee shop or healthy find at Trader Joe’s? Yes, you do, and they listen because it’s genuine. The perk with Beautycounter is that you make money doing it.

Sounds awesome, but I am so busy. I don’t have time for anything else!
This is the most common obstacle I hear from prospective consultants. You’re thinking “How can I run my own business when I already have a full-time job, family to take care of, little ones, stressful school schedule, or all of the above?” What I’ve found to be true is the busiest women tend to be the most successful consultants since they know how to balance work and prioritize (a.k.a. be efficient and manage their time)… even 1-2 hours a week can help launch a business that will build over time!

It’s amazing how when we truly want something, we can make time for it. Even if it’s starting out with a couple hours spread out throughout the week, when there’s a will, there’s a way. Getting your Beautycounter business off the ground doesn’t require “x” amount of hours each week. That is the beauty of this business – you can make it work for you! The women on my team have an array of backgrounds and responsibilities, from corporate marketing professionals to full-time moms, lawyers, med students, bloggers, and multi-faceted entrepreneurs. Whether it’s an hour or two, or 10, as long as you are consistent, you can fit this into your life and make it work for you.

Isn’t this another MLM (multi level marketing) pyramid scheme?
Watch this short video about Beautycounter’s business model. In short, Beautycounter is not a pyramid scheme – those are illegal. Beautycounter not only sells through independent consultants, but online, and through retail partnerships and shops. As a mentor, I do earn a percentage of sales from those under me, but only a small percentage versus 25-35% of my own sales.

And in reality, this structure doesn’t differ much from corporate America where the CEO and leaders benefit off of their employees. As a mentor, I invest into my team members through support, accountability, and what I’ve learned to be successful. Being a mentor is one of my favorite parts of this job! I see so much similarity between it and health coaching: I love helping women accomplish goals, big and small, grow their businesses, and watch their dreams unfold!

Beautycounter is a highly-rated B Corporation, which is an extremely hard certification to get. Beautycounter is ranked with companies like Athleta, Patagonia, Seventh Generation, and other companies that use business for good. I love that I work for a company who is making a difference in the world.

How is Beautycounter different than other MLMs?
I’ve never been part of another MLM, so I can’t speak from personal experience. However, I can tell you that Beautycounter does not have some of the following requirements that other MLMs have:

• No auto-ship of products for customers or consultants
• No monthly minimum purchase for consultants
• Customers can choose how they want to shop: they can choose their consultant, or if they don’t want to shop through a consultant, they can order directly through corporate or at our retail shops

I will say that while there are other companies who make safer products (yay!), I do not know of any companies that take safety as seriously as Beautycounter. And not only that, the products actually work. Beautycounter is so much more than a cosmetic or skincare company. We make a huge variety of personal care products, and we are at the forefront of advocating for health-protective laws in the beauty industry.

Beautycounter was the #1 Googled beauty brand in 2018, and was named one of the 50 most innovative companies in the world by Fast Company!

I don’t have a blog or use social media much.
Not a problem at all! Most people who work with Beautycounter are not bloggers. There are endless ways to make this business work for you. If social media is your thing, great. But if you prefer one-on-one conversations, or getting together with a small group of friends over brunch, or dropping off products to share with your neighbor, wonderful! I do use social media because I enjoy it, but what I love most about this business are the personal connections. Although Beautycounter is a corporate company, I strive to run my business like a small business, where follow-ups, thank you cards, and personalization is the norm. Social media helps, but it’s not necessary.

How much can I make?
You make 25-35% commision off every order (the percentage increases as the total amount you sell increases). There are also opportunities to earn free or discounted products throughout the year, as well as incentive trips! It’s been amazing to watch my Beautycounter business grow. It’s honestly the best decision I made after leaving my full-time job and moving across the country.

For some, their Beautycounter business earns them some extra fun money for hobbies, and for others it’s allowed them to leave their full-time jobs (and make 2-3x their corporate incomes)!

What are the benefits?
Are we talking personal or professional? I’ve grown personally (more on that below) and met amazing, like-minded, driven women! Not to mention, you get to run a business – whether it’s a side gig/hobby or full-time – it’s possible to make this a lucrative business that’s run how you please. Oh, and you always get 25% off all products. 

So you like being a consultant?
I love it! Investing in the Beautycounter business has been an investment in myself. For the first time (in forever?), I’ve been dreaming big. And I have an amazing mentor and support circle of fellow consultants to cheer me on and help me accomplish my goals. I’ve always known it was possible for your passions and work to collide (and I’ve definitely been passionate about my previous work), but now that I’ve partnered with Beautycounter, there has been much more momentum towards manifesting my dreams. 

What don’t you like about being a consultant?
Besides the fact that consultants have to pay for shipping, nothing!

Okay, I want to learn more.
If you want to learn more about being a consultant, you can find additional info on the Beautycounter website. Of course you can always email me (hillaryannparker (at) gmail (dot) com), and I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have. If you do decide to sign up, I would love to be your mentor, so find me when you enroll (Hillary Parker).

Nah, not interested. 
Totally fine!

This sounds pretty cool, but I have reservations.
I did too! Again, if you’re the slightest bit curious, but have reservations, email me. I’d love to chat with you!

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If you’ve ever been curious about becoming a Beautycounter consultant, or have been on the fence (or just want a rewarding side gig), now’s an amazing time to join the movement! To celebrate Beautycounter’s 6th anniversary, the enrollment fee has been cut in half!

From now until March 10, it’s $49 to sign up as a consultant when you purchase a starter set of deeply discounted products. If you’re a Band of Beauty member, it’s only $20!

When you enroll, you get the following:

Not pictured:
– Access to your personalized website
– Access to your back office, Behind the Counter
– Extensive training platform, Counter University
– Me as a mentor along with an amazingly supportive group of women who are happy to share their experiences with you!

Pictured below:
– Full size Overnight Resurfacing Peel ($63 value)
– Full size Lip Intense Lipstick ($34 value)
– Large tote bag
– Zippered makeup bag
– Training and marketing materials to get your business going! 

Lastly… my why.

I will not be apologetic for working in direct sales, for partnering with a B Corporation that isn’t solely offering safer products, but is advocating for change. Like my fellow Beautycounter educators, we all have a passion for health and wellness and getting safer products into the hands of everyone. This is a piece of my why… because wellbeing is ingrained in who I am, and it is so much more than what I consume and how much I move my body. Every single Beautycounter consultant stands behind Beautycounter’s mission and is working towards drastic change in the nearly-unregulated beauty industry. But each one of us has a powerful why much deeper than that.

While this work is financially rewarding, it’s so much more than that. I won’t be apologetic or feel awkward to share this opportunity with you because of the mindset we often have surrounding direct sales. I am a part of a company I believe in and I want to share the opportunity with you in case it happens to be the right fit/a major blessing/life-changing for you like it has for me.