Meet Trailblazer Lani Halladay

At 19 I became a single mom. I signed with my first direct sales company and sold cosmetics. While it was not the company for me, I knew that it was something I wanted to pursue.

In 1990 I married a wonderful man who at the time was in the Navy. We have three wonderful children together. While he was deployed more than he was home, I still had that feeling of being a single parent. But now, I had four children instead of one. I had over the years signed with other companies but still had not found my niche. But with my husband gone so often, I really wanted a way to earn an income and stay at home.

1998 would be a year of change. I was still looking for that way to bring in extra income without working outside the home. Then, out of the blue my mom received a phone call from a business colleague telling her about a new Direct Sales company that he had begun working with. It was going to be amazing. After much discussion my mom and I both signed with Home and Garden Party. It was a life changing decision.

When we started with HGP, there were approximately 600 other consultants across the US. In the first year we were with the company that number skyrocketed. Business was good and I found my niche. Important to mention, when I signed with HGP my mom was my direct upline, my manager in other words. This would prove to be both life changing and someday’s frustrating. What I do know is that I was trained, taught, mentored, coached, guided and learned more from her than I ever thought possible. Every talent or gift or expertise I have in this business, I owe to her.

Over the next 12 years, life had changed in so many ways for my family. My husband was advanced to the rank of  Navy Chief, he was home more than he was gone now and our kids were doing well, my HGP team was generating sales of over half a million dollars, I earned awards for my sales and sponsoring, earned numerous incentive trips to amazing places. Atlantis, Jamaica, the Caribbean, Mexico and cruises to tropical destinations. I began training at the local level, then at our national Conventions and even more special to me was when other top leaders in HGP would invite me to their meetings across the united states to train their teams. I was providing an amazing income for my family. We were able to travel, made amazing lifelong friendships and life was good!

2007 would prove to be a challenging year, I was in Phoenix, Arizona training some of our team when I got a call from my mom. She was in the ER and was going to be admitted due to some abdominal symptoms. My mother was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was a scary and uncertain time for our family. We were so fortunate that the treatment she received was successful, she recovered and she was able to go back to work.

Life was back to normal and all was well. Until it wasn’t. In 2009, HGP purchased Home Interiors, Another home decor Direct Sales Company. What we did not know was that this would mark the beginning of the end. The company changed its name, format, president and catalog. The new changes were too much for too many and our income dropped substantially and the company that we loved and had found so much joy in was gone. We made the decision to leave HGP. The loss of income and grieving for the company we so loved made life chaotic and we were living a new and not very pleasant normal. I looked at a few companies, joined a few companies, but you can’t recreate what once was. I stepped away from direct sales with the intention of never going back.

About this time, our oldest son was a senior in high school and one of his required courses was economics. For one of his class projects he had to create a business, sell the product, hopefully earn a profit and then write a report. Jacob struggled with what type of business he would start. Important to note that I love to bake! When I say I love it I mean I could bake every day. Cookies, cakes, bread, you name it. And I am good at it. So, I suggested to Jacob that he start a cupcake business. Something I knew that I could help him with. In one week he sold over 300 cupcakes! We were exhausted by the end of his project. Then the phone began to ring with people asking how they could reorder! Reorder? That was something we were nor expecting!  After much thought, Jacob and I began an adventure together that would turn into Jakes Cakes & Sweet Treats. We had no idea what was in store for us. Early on in our adventure we were invited to do an event at a salon. Someone there purchased a cupcake for their friend who just happened to be a wedding planner. She loved the cupcake and began referring us to her brides. With that our business doubled or maybe even tripled. We were now doing weddings, birthdays, weddings and baby showers, special events and we were doing it all and doing it well. We were busy and making a profit and this mom and son business seemed to be going in a positive direction.

In late 2010 I began experiencing left arm pain that was too painful to ignore. After an MRI and a few Dr. appointments we made the decision that Jake’s Cakes would temporarily close its doors and in November 2011 I would undergo neck surgery to repair a ruptured disc. Recovery was long but the surgery was a success. Within about six months we would realize that was not the case at all. I headed back to the Neurologist and for the next two years I was bounced from Dr. to Dr trying to figure out what was wrong. Eventually, I ended up back at my Neurologists office with my mom in tow, hoping to get some answers. Have you ever had that feeling in your gut that you just know that something is wrong before the information is even given to you? That’s how I felt that day sitting in the exam room waiting for my Doctor.  When we got past the hello and how are you’s, the next sentence was “Mrs. Halladay, you have Parkinson’s disease.” As we sat there and listened to what this meant and what medications I would take and what to expect, my mom cried and I sat there with a feeling that I can only describe as disbelief. I remember thinking I’m 45 years old, I am otherwise healthy. No one in my family has Parkinson’s disease. I have a thriving wedding cake and cookie business, 3 kids in school, my husband is now retired from the Navy and home every night. Our life is good. Are you kidding me? The next few years for me were filled with Dr. appointments, new types of medications, more Dr. appointments and truthfully, a sadness that I carried with me that I could not shake. My husband was amazing, supportive and I can’t imagine my life without him. My kids were such a help and so understanding. But the one person who had always been there for me, my champion, my cheerleader, that person who knew when to tell me to stop feeling sorry for myself, that everything would be just fine, was my mom and she was dealing with her own health issues. My mom’s cancer had returned. I stepped away from everything I loved except my family. But truthfully I felt like I had no purpose. I could no longer do what I was good at, what I loved.

In early 2015, my mom began to truly decline and while no one wanted to admit it, I think we all knew we wouldn’t have her with us much longer. Hospice was called and we brought my mom home for what would be the last weeks of her life. It was a long emotional, upsetting, exhausting, roller coaster of a ride. I spent as much time with her as I could. My mom passed away on May 6, 2015. They say everyone grieves in their own way and there is no time limit. I can attest to that. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of her or wish that I could call her. I miss her so very much.

Life for me has been challenging to say the least. Parkinson’s disease is a bitch! I jokingly say Parkinson’s is the gift that keeps on giving the whole year long. There is always some new “thing” that I’ll start experiencing and I’ll talk with my Dr. and he’ll say well that’s Parkinson’s. For instance, repeating your words, drooling, sleep disorders, tremors, unsteady gait, chronic pain, just to name a few. Being asked if you’ve been drinking because at the end of the day your speech is a bit slurred. Or that person who finds out you have a progressive illness and they say “my grandma had Parkinson’s, she died!” Not the most comforting!  I’ve had to go to speech therapy to learn to better enunciate my words and not talk too softly. Me, the person that got up in front of 2000 women and trained at National Conventions. Me, the person who made their living by communicating. This has been one of the most difficult areas for me to deal with. I am no longer that person. What was my purpose in life? Did I have a purpose? The answer to that question for many months was a resounding “no’.

2017 came along and brought with it the most exciting news. Our oldest daughter was pregnant! We were going to be grandparents! We were beyond thrilled. Then we got a call from our daughter that it was not one baby but two! Twins! November 6, 2017, our twin grandsons were born. From the moment I saw them they owned my heart. These sweet boys make me so happy. Being a grandma brings me such joy and I want to be there for birthdays, school events and all the exciting moments in their lives. My grandsons live in Indiana and I like to visit often which requires extra income! I needed to reevaluate, I had to make a plan, make some hard decisions  and I needed to execute it. With that in mind I started working with my friend Mindi Huebner. Mindi is a life coach. Mindi helped me come to the realization that I am a person who has Parkinson’s disease and that it does not define me. I am still a capable, hard-working businesswoman and I have a purpose and there is still much for me to accomplish  It has taken me awhile to get there, but I’m there. Yes, I have to do things a bit differently and sometimes at a slower pace then I would like, but I refuse to give up. I had started looking again for something to do. Something to be a part of.

One evening I was on Instagram and came across the Badass Boss Babe Club. These ladies got together each month to network, support one another and their businesses. I so wanted to be a part of that group. It looked like just the thing I needed. After following the page for a few months I reached out to the women that started it all. I called Jamie Gates and asked if there was a B3 Club in San Diego. There was not but she was open to starting one and by the end of the conversation I was the new Chapter Leader of The Badass Boss Babe Club, San Diego Chapter! We had our official launch this last September. It was so fun to be apart of something, to collaborate with these women and to speak at an event. Not long after I got a call from a friend I knew from my days with HGP. She called to tell me about a new company that she had just heard about. Farmasi. A European skincare and cosmetic company with a compensation plan that seemed too good to be true. I signed up right away with huge goals and dreams of success. But I allowed old thoughts and anxiety to get the better of me and I sabotaged myself. Then I remembered what Mindi and I had discussed. I may slur a word here and there and I may have good days and bad but that’s not the end of the world. Giving up is not an option. I have found myself in a new season of life with a new normal. Change is difficult in the best of circumstances. I could hear my mom saying “Lani K! Get off your behind and get busy!” So that’s what I’m doing! My mom would tell everyone “Remember to dream big”! I have decided to borrow my mom’s tagline but with a twist. Dream one size too big! To sum it all up, I love what I do, I love my husband, I love my kids and grandkids, I love my life and I wish you my kind of success!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Obstacles? Many! Smooth road? No! One of the toughest things you can do is to own your own business or be your own boss. When you have your own business you are choosing to get up each day and create your own paycheck. There is no time clock to punch, no automatic paycheck every two weeks. You must be disciplined and create a schedule for yourself. One of the things I learned early on is that the hours we work are flexible but not optional. Many women desire to work from home so that they can be home with their children. They want to be able to go on field trips or be home if their baby is sick. But like any full-time job, the work you miss by taking time off still needs to be done. Create office hours for yourself. Decide when your day begins and ends. Make a schedule for yourself. What income producing activity will you  do that day? If you have a business where you will be working with the public, be ready for anything. I have been in the filthiest homes, been stood up, treated rudely, been taken advantage of and so much more. But with each experience comes a lesson and each lesson learned makes you a stronger, more savvy businesswoman.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Farmasi – what should we know?
Farmasi is a European skincare and cosmetic company that came to the US in January 2019. Since coming here, they have added over 27,000 Beauty Influencers in the US alone. This company has all the possibilities of a ground floor opportunity but with a proven product. Farmasi is in 25 countries and has been in business for decades. What makes farmasi unique is the buying opportunities they have created. You can pay full price and buy from any Beauty Influencer or you can pay a one time $19.99 and shop from our extensive catalog at 50% off for life. So, the choice is simple! Who wants to pay full price when you can shop at 50% off! What I truly love is helping a women find that perfect lip color that makes her feel beautiful. Helping a young woman with problem skin find the right skincare regime to help her feel more confident and to hold her head up high. I love showing a mom who wants to stay home with her kids how she can create an income that will replace her full-time job, I love owning my own business!

What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Stay focused. Don’t get discouraged and know that it will be one of the hardest things you have ever done. It will also be one of the most exciting, scary, rewarding adventures of your life.

Pricing:

• The best part of Farmasi……pay $19.99 one time and shop their full catalog of products for 50% off forever! Free website. flat rate shipping.

Contact Info:

• Website: Socalbeautyclub.com
• Phone: 619-490-0048
• Email: Lani@lanikHalladay.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lanikayh/

1 Comment

1. 

   Jamie Gates

   October 24, 2019 at 10:41 pm

   I am so honored that you have joined our tribe and that you are the Leader of our San Diego Chapter! You are an amazing woman, Lani, and I am blessed to know you!

   Reply