Starting Market America and my cosmetics business, Motives, has been a true lifelong journey – and, one I couldn’t be more proud of. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t put my heart and soul into those businesses, and I love every minute of it.
I’ve mentioned before that one of the most unexpected outcomes of entrepreneurship is that these businesses have become an extension of our family. I love our teams and I love that I get to go to work each day surrounded by the people I adore most in this world. I get to work with my husband and my brothers and sister, my daughter and her family, friends who have become like family – I could go on and on.
Turning your passion into your business is a magical experience – and with a little hard work and ingenuity, anyone can do it. Here’s a look into my experience with a few highlights from my recent interview with The Sun Sentinel where we talked business, beauty and success. You can read the full interview here.
Q&A with The Sun Sentinel
Q: Regarding your Market America journey, when did you and JR know this was going to be really big? Was that the vision from the beginning or did it evolve?
A: JR has always had that vision, to be honest with you. He’s always been a great leader. Even prior to 1992 when the idea was forming, he was a strong believer that the world was fast changing, that technology was fast changing, and people would want to shop at home.
Q: Over the years, what are one or two of the most important lessons you have learned maybe the hard way about entrepreneurship?
A: To manage my time wisely, that’s been a lesson for both of us. It’s hard to run a company of this size and still have a life with your children and your grandchildren and juggle everything. I’ve learned what may not appear to be normal for other families is normal for us, it works for us. If we have to have dinner at 10:30 at night or 4:30 in the afternoon, and it works for us based on our schedules, we don’t punish ourselves for it.
Q: Of the brands you personally have created, what are you most proud of and why?
A: All of them, really. Motives is special because it was a tribute to the way I grew up. My mother died at a very young age at 42, but she was always super glamorous and I watched her as a child spend hours looking beautiful. I watched how it made her feel; it gave her confidence. I was always in awe of her. Motives is not about lipstick color, it’s really about what makes women feel good inside.
Q: Entrepreneurship seems a true family tradition, with your daughter also launching a brand several years ago. Do you think entrepreneurship is born or made?
A: I think it is something that can be for anyone at any time in their life. If we look at people like Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein, it’s really about their passion. And when people finally realize that they are sick and tired of being sick and tired and frustrated and fed up (in their current jobs), entrepreneurship can be born at any age.
In my mind it always comes back to passion. If you have the idea and the passion to make it happen, nothing can stop you – you’re already halfway there! Have you ever dreamed about becoming an entrepreneur? What’s stopping you?
