THE FLAMES TEAM NEWS
 
Our Mia Bella Gourmet Candles Team Newsletter
May & June 2007 Edition
 
 
 
Awesome Team and Guests:
 
We have combined our May and June newsletters and are preparing for those warm summer days! It's also time to heat up your businesses as summer is a great time to get yourself out there, promote your business and make sales! I am here to help and I know summer was a busy time for me last year and I expect that to repeat. I can't wait to see the many Mia Bella opportunities that present themselves for the team this summer by way of events, fundraisers and more! It's far from the lazy days of summertime...it's a great opportunity to build up to an incredible fall and winter!
 
May and June saw The Flames Team add lots of new members and turn in some impressive retail numbers. Special recognition should go to Kadye Ward's team for the AWESOME retail numbers they are showing. Those retail sales mean referrals and potential new business partners too so WAY TO GO!
 
The team also saw two Diamond promotions with Kadye Ward and Tina Dore and several of you just a little bit away from that great milestone!
 
Everyone is building up for the regional events in Tupelo, Mississippi and Charlotte, North Carolina with the big event being Summer Fling in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that is sure to be an awesome event. Then on to Mid States Conference with Kellene's group in Topeka, Kansas and I'm looking forward to meeting and seeing many of you at the upcoming events!
 
Special thanks to Blair Rendle and Michele Cook for writing articles for this edition. Be sure to check out Blair's Candles 4 Kansas fundraising information and jump on board to help! I think this is such a wonderful idea! Thanks Blair for coming up with it and sharing with us all...
 
I'm looking forward to seeing what the summer holds in store for The Flames Team. We are growing and you all are doing an awesome job of growing your business. I have always told you all that 2007 is going to be an incredible year for our company and I am so glad each of you are growing with us!
 
Enjoy the newsletter and happy reading!
 
Dawn Mathisen
 
 
 
ARE YOU A GUEST TO OUR ONLINE NEWSLETTER?
WOULD YOU LOVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN PROFITABLE CANDLE BUSINESS THAT YOU CAN WORK FROM HOME?
COME JOIN THE FLAMES TEAM...
WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THE TOOLS, TRAINING AND INFORMATION YOU NEED
TO BUILD A SCENT-SATIONAL CANDLE BUSINESS!
CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE A FREE BUSINESS INFORMATION PACK
INCLUDING SCENT SAMPLE!  
 
 
CANDLES 4 KANSAS FUNDRAISING
by Blair Rendle
 
 
The Candles4Kansas Fundraiser is up and running strong in NC! I am having fun and success talking with Churches and other groups on promoting this.
 
The Funds will be donated to the Future Fund in Kansas. A non-profit group called: South Central Community Fund has set up a separate Fund "Future Fund" to help with the needs this community is facing.
 
There has been much accomplished in Kansas. The latest being that they have hauled out over 1000 dump truck loads to the dump. Then they brought in Tractors with Blades and have completely Bladed the town. There is now nothing but leveled Dirt.
 
They have committees set up to start the planning of the new town. FEMA has sent a representative in, the State has someone there, and the local government is represented. They also have a Steering committee: which is represented by local residents, the non-profit group is part of this steering committee.
 
They will ALL be a part of deciding which group the different needs fall under.
And believe me, A LOT falls under the non-profit section. The home owners will be receiving the Least amount (if any) from the government funds, and the Churches are next.
 
You can designate Funds to any specific group, or just to the general fund. Just be sure to let me know.
 
I am setting up the initial fundraisers to run the usual 2 weeks and two weekends, and then letting the groups know that any extra orders will also be accepted and donations given to Greensburg, as well as the Re-Orders!!
 
I personally plan to continue adding groups, churches, and schools to the program for as long as possible.
 
I have Fliers made up and will post them to the group files for All to use! Just Add Your Fundraiser website to the top and bottom, and you will be ready to go.
Of Course, feel free to do your own too.
 
My packet is very simple. I use the Flyer, with an order from printed on the back side, along with a letter of introduction with the Fundraising 1,2,3 printed on the back of that. Extra Order Forms are printed by themselves for those that need more than the 10 order lines.
 
The Candles are being promoted at 20.00 each, with 6.00 going to the Future Fund. (You may donate more if you wish to). Be sure to have your Tax ID number...and also get a copy of each Groups Tax ID number for your own records. This way no Tax is being collected.
 
For book-keeping purposes the groups may write two separate checks. One for the 6.00 x number of candles, and the other for the remainder. That will allow them to get a tax deduction on the Donation part.
 
For any questions, ideas, concerns, etc. Please email me at BlairsCandleBiz@gmail.com
 
You need to contact Bill Vandorn to get your Fundraiser Website up and running. His email is Vandorn1@gmail.com
 
To see a Sample of the Fundraiser Site: http://www.ourcandleclub.com/candles4kansas
 
Lets Make This a Huge Success, and show just How Big our Hearts Are!
 
Blair
 
 
GETTING TO KNOW YOU - TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Michele Cook - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
 

Hi! My name is Michele and I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! I want to let you know what I am about! If I had to narrow it down, I'd say I'm all about wanting to help people. This can be good and bad. When I was little I always said "yes" to any kid in the schoolyard who wanted my lunch, my milk money whatever!! As I was growing up I learned the difference between helping people and being taken advantage of, and that there are people out there who aren't nice. It was a rude awakening, but we've got to grow up sometime!!

I grew up in Western PA mostly. We moved around a lot because my dad was an assitant manager for GC Murpheys which was a five and dime dept. store. Other than a brief few years in New Jersey and Eastern PA which I was too young to remember, mostly it was around the western part of the state. I absolutely love it here!! I was born in Erie and live in Pittsburgh now. I went to college at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV which they call "little Pittsburgh" so I don't count that as ever leaving western PA!!

I did live in Florida for a few years, where I met my husband Douglas. I was working at a Subway restaurant while finishing my degree there (my parents had moved there and I ran out of money!) and I was dating his friend The friend was a commitment-phobic, immature person, so we dumped him!! I never wanted to stay in Florida. Too flat, too hot and too many bugs!! So after we got married I moved us to Charleston, WV. I say I moved us because he was not crazy about moving, but knew how much I wanted back up north.
 
Since he had health problems and had a cardiac pacemaker in, I was "bringing home the bacon" so it was where I got the job! In Charleston I had one of the most incredible experiences of my life, I got pregnant and had our first child, our son Christopher. I just love being a mom!! It is truly my finest accomplishments! I remember being soooo shocked at my feelings when he was first born! I always knew I'd love my baby, but the stregnth of that love totally shocked and overwhelmed me! It is truly the most incredible feeling how you would give your life for this tiny human that you just finally got to meet! I had c-sections because I grow huge babies!! I am not diabetic, not even gestational! I just make them Big!!
 
Christopher was 9 lb 11 oz and Connor 10 lb 10 oz!! Bruisers!! Anyway my job as an RN in Charleston was working as a cardiac nurse with adults. I always wanted to work with babies and I had started in Newborn nursery, Mother- Baby and Neonatal ICU. That's all I wanted but to move I had to take the job with adults for awhile. Then I found a wonderful position in Neonatal ICU here in Pittsburgh, so when Christopher was 2 we headed up further north and settled here. I just love it here!! My neighborhood in Pittsburgh is like a small town onto itself. The people are wonderful!!
 
This past summer Douglas's health got worse to where I had to stop work all together outside the home. I was the only source of income and it was really scary. The whole community and our church just banded together and completely saved us. I will forever be grateful for all the help and assistance they provided.

When my biz really starts bringing in a good pay every month (right now it is really just supporting itself) I want to "pay it forward" and give back to the organizations in town like the food bank and St Vincent DePaul Society that helped us. I really would love to see someone like us helped in turn.

Getting ahead of myself here!! Before all that happened, while I was still in neonatal ICU we had our second baby Connor who is now 22 months and our little "toughy"!! He doesn't take anything from big brother!! I went back to work when he was 12 weeks old starting a new job at Childrens Hospital in Cardiac ICU!! This was a mistake trying to learn something that new and difficult with a new baby and a sick husband that I was starting to sense was getting sicker. They gave me 12 weeks of orientation when they had promised 18-24, and refused more so I was at least given unemployment. As I was home and looking for something else I saw my husband's health deteriorating including noticable seizures. We then got his disability finally and I started this. I miss nursing sometimes at least the babies. I do not miss how politcal and backstabbing co workers can be!! I love to be needed and love helping people, but I hate to take charity because I always feel there is someone worse off then me somewhere who can use it more. I am also a problem solver so I hate to have a problem and not be doing something pro active to fix it!!

I was looking in Pittsburgh Parent one day and saw my enrollers ad with my first company, Work At Home United, so I gave a call and gave it a try, and I am sooooo glad! I have made so many friends online and over the phone that I never would have met otherwise!! I originally started with this company because I knew and trusted the company name as my uncle had done it about 15 years ago. Since then my husband's asthma has gone away (now if we could just find a cure for the 99 other things wrong with him!)! And so has Connor's! Last year every time he got a cold it went into his lungs and I had to hold the poor baby down to give him breathing treatments!! He soooo hated that, and I did too! Luckily we don't have that anymore!! The eczema is gone too!! It makes me soooo happy when customers write or call me and tell me how much they love the produts and what it has done for them and their family. I love to still be able to help people feel better and be healthier even if it is from my home. It really breaks my heart when someone can't afford the products or if they don't try just because they don't understand the difference from regular products you can buy in the store. My biggest pet peeve about some enrollers in my company is they think it is just a business opp for the rich. This is America, anyone that works hard is supposed to be able to get ahead. Sometimes it seems like the rich get richer and the poor are just shoved aside. I try to do everything I can to help anyone who is willing to try succeed. No one is "just an enrollment" to me. They are my friends and I want to help them advance and reach their goals too!! Some mentors will tell you if you go for help getting enrollments "Well go buy leads" or "talk to your 'warm market'"!! Not everyone has money to throw away on leads (which I have found to be worthless in most cases!) and not everyone has a supportive and receptive "warm market"!! I sure don't! Most of my best customers and business builders have come from online relationships. I so hate to see people throwing money away and spinning their wheels. If something isn't working I want to help them find something that does, not just give those same old pat answers that don't work!!
 
If it wasn't for my husband's support I'd have given up long ago. He is so encouraging and teases me out of my downtimes. He is truly my best friend and biggest cheerleader! Our 7 year old is my cheerleeder too!! He loves to pretend to be working the business ~ He even enrolled Darth Vader and all the Ewoks!! I see an entepreneur in the making and it makes me proud of him!
 
I so love being a stay at home mom. It is better than I ever imagined, but it seems like less housework gets done now with me home!! Weird how that happens!
 
When ScentSations and Mia Bella Candles were first introduced to me I knew that this was a natural second business for me. For all the same reasons I chose my first business. And it's a great combination! I can use my wanting to help others, wanting to help people build a succssful business without breaking the bank, and the quality of the products really sold me! Those who know me know I am very conscious of the products we use in our homes and what they contain. The Mia Bella Candle not only smells great but contains ingredients that are "user friendly". So I jumped in in June 2006 and haven't looked back. I have a great team of distributors and constantly look for new ways to expand my business. And to help others do the same.
 
For the past couple of months we have seen online so many problems with work at home opportunities! I myself have as always been concentrating on Work At Home United and Mia Bella, as those are two that I am a customer of as well, so I KNOW they are safe and legit. However I myself got involved with a few of these recent "scams". Luckily I did not yet order from any of them, However others did and that just makes me feel Awful! I will never again promote a business I am not 100% sure of.

A funny (ironic) thing is many people think business opportunities are scams if you need to pay to do it. However most of the companies we've seen "get into trouble" were completely free to join!! Not that there are not scams that are paid to get in, Liberty League comes to mind, which I have heard was shut down. There are also some free opportunities that are legit, such as Stuff a Friend. I think of it as a franchise, which it is. If I were to open up a Mc Donalds here, I would need to shell out much more than I am on my home businesses, yet it would be mine, with support of an "upline".

Here are some things I look for when looking for a business, or deciding which ones to promote and which will be profitable.

1. Where is the money that I am supposedly going to make coming from?? No money going in, no money coming out. I don't even look into the ones that say "Completely free.....earn money in your sleep" If I am not putting money in, and no one else is either, and there is no product or service to do or offer..Hello where is the money going to come from???

This is a good way to determine how profitable your business will be too, and if you will be able to truly hope to replace an income from home. If you have a company where you are to order each month and invest and others do as well...there is the money. Therefore the harder you work at helping others, the more you will make. Companies that have No required orders you may make money from sales occasionally. However you will need to start from $0 every month and you will not have a Steady residual income. Work At Home United and Mia Bella are residual consistant income makers, and can reasonably be expected to eventually replace a full time income.

2. What is the "word on the street"?? Shortly after I signied up with one of those free to join candle companies, I started to hear rumors such as "No Products", "Owner not able to be contacted" Now this is a double edged sword, even if a biz has been around forever, there will always be disgruntled former reps somewhere. However if something has just started, there should not be much said yet at least not negative. That is a big red flag.

3. Who is your upline? I mean all the way up. Could you e-mail and call them? Would they know who you are or at least have some idea? Are they accessable by phone? What sets companies apart is the upline support, training, tools and information flow that goes on. And the company support is a major factor too. The companies I am involved with are A+ on that list. And I have support with my upline which is a big help when building a business.

Basically with most legitimate business opportunites you get out of it what you put into it. Free opps can be legit to get you sales here and there. However if you are looking for stability and support go with the proven companies where product is constantly flowing and there is money to be made! Do your homework and you could avoid a bad experience. My advice is Be safe, Be careful!!

I love to read when I have spare time, but that is few and far between. I love historical romances, Danielle Steele, Harry Potter Books, and the Left Behind Series. We recently joined Net Flix and I try to have a "date night" with Douglas once a week and watch a movie together after we put the kiddos to bed. I love spring and fall with it being not too hot or too cold, and I love spring flowers (daffodils and hyacinths especially!) and colored leaves in the fall. I try to get the kids to the playground often when it's nice and hope to move out to a more rural area within the next few years so the kids can have a back yard with a swingset and all that stuff!! I really want a farm! I could never kill an animal so it would have to be a produce or dairy farm! We have apple orchards up here, that would be nice! Or a large pumpkin farm that I could offer pumpkin picking and hayrides in the fall!! That's definately a few years off though, but a great long term goal!!

Thank you for reading all of this!! I look forward to the best part of my job....meeting new wonderful moms every day!!

Michele Cook

http://www.micheles1stopshop.com
dmcook5@msn.com
http://miamelamomma.scent-team.com
 
 
 

Top 20 Flames Team Retailers for April (Based on volume)

 
Shane Clark-#1
Pamela Clark -#11
Wendell Ward -#2
Jenn Smith -#12
Cynthia Hicks -#3
Debbie Adams -#13
Doug Litten -#4
Rosamaria Moore -#14
Jeffrey Stenmark -#5
Melissa Simpson -#15
Melodie Maxwell -#6
Loretta Antor -#16
Glenn Michaelis -#7
Stacey Smith -#17
Elena Aitken -#8
Blair Rendle -#18
Jennifer Mohrhard -#9
Steve Bobersky -#19
Ashma Khanani Moosa -#10
Gary Stover -#20
 

Top 20 Flames Team Retailers for May (Based on volume)

 
Wendell Ward -#1
Dale Lowe -#11
Shane Clark -#2
Sean Bradley -#12
Debra Hogman -#3
Janet Ramynke -#13
Jackie Williams -#4
Maryann Simmons -#14
Melodie Maxwell -#5
Tina Dore -#15
Linda Tomasik -#6
Rosamaria Moore -#16
Valerie Morris -#7
Dawn Mathisen -#17
Donna Pipes -#8
Sharlene Wade -#18
Jennifer Mohrhard -#9
Gary Stover -#19
Cynthia Hicks -#10
Sheila Barret -#20
 
  
April and May Mia Bella Anniversaries
Happy "Mia Bella Anniversary" To The Following Distributors:
 
Kathie Ciak - 1 Year
Denise Tartaglia - 1 Year
Anna Newton - 1 Year
 
Promotions - Congratulations!
To Diamond Distributor:
Kadye Ward
Tina Dore
 
New Flames Team Members In April and May 2007
 
Please join us in welcoming our many new team members for April and May 2007! It was a couple of super growth months and we are excited to welcome so many great individuals who have begun their own candle business. We also congratulate their wonderful sponsors who have enthusiastically shared our great business with others. WELCOME AND GREAT JOB!
 
Congratulations to Cristina Balahadia, our April Top Sponsor and our May Top Sponsors which was a tie between Wendell Ward and Tina Dore! Way to grow your business and share this great opportunity!
 
Kelley Jackson - Sponsored by Tina Dore
Deborah Broadwater - Sponsored by Cristina Balahadia
Stephanie Hughner - Sponsored by Cristina Balahadia
Spring Palmer - Sponsored by Cristina Balahadia
Melodie Maxwell - Sponsored by Carol Lowe
Becky Rogers - Sponsored by Kadye Ward
Kristin Schrader - Sponsored by Kadye Ward
Shane Clark - Sponsored by Pamela Clark
Linda Tomasik - Sponsored by Wendell Ward
Stacey Smith - Sponsored by Jennifer Bishop
Jennifer Willis - Sponsored by Kristin Calhoun
Zoe Casias - Sponsored by Terri Tavares
Virginia Saez - Sponsored by Terri Tavares
Janice Sciba - Sponsored by Sharlene Wade
Pat Connor - Sponsored by Mary Darr
Linda Smith - Sponsored by Kathie Ciak
Tiwana Bell - Sponsored by Anna Newton
Diane Winters - Sponsored by Christine Little
Janat Matoska - Sponsored by Diane Winters
Laurie Cusick - Sponsored by Terri Tavares
Carol Schmidt - Sponsored by Tarin Still
Maryann Simmons - Sponsored by Carol Lowe
Jackie Cook - Sponsored by Wendell Ward
Nellie Hilton - Sponsored by Wendell Ward
Wanterra Baswell - Sponsored by Wendell Ward
Sheri-lyn Shepler - Sponsored by Maryann Simmons
Carol Morris - Sponsored by Maryann Simmons
Janet Trice - Sponsored by Carol Morris
Katie Wilder - Sponsored by Stephanie Hughner
Artina Coleman - Sponsored by Tina Dore
Stacy Bomba - Sponsored by Tina Dore
Debra Hogman - Sponsored by Tina Dore
 
 
ARE YOU A GUEST TO OUR ONLINE NEWSLETTER?
WOULD YOU LOVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN PROFITABLE CANDLE BUSINESS THAT YOU CAN WORK FROM HOME WITH NO PRESSURE OR HYPE?
COME JOIN THE FLAMES TEAM...
WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THE TOOLS, TRAINING AND INFORMATION YOU NEED
TO BUILD A SCENT-SATIONAL CANDLE BUSINESS!
CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE A FREE BUSINESS INFORMATION PACK
INCLUDING SCENT SAMPLE! WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US!
 
 
KEEP BURNING AND EARNING GREAT FLAMES TEAM!
See you next month!
 
We welcome contributions to our monthly newsletter, the Flames Team News from all the distributors on the team! Please email your pictures, stories, testimonials, successes, accomplishements and more to ScentsationalBiz@aol.com to be included in the next monthly newsletter.