E Y E O N AR B ON N E
NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
Great Expectations
Create Great
Achievements
C
Char Blair
Arbonne Independent Consultant, National Vice President
Profession: Entrepreneur & Business Owner
har Blair of Ottawa, Ontario, has had both one of the shortest — and one of the
longest — roads to the top of Arbonne. The natural-born entrepreneur’s Arbonne story spans
22 years. In that time Char built two successful companies in between her first attempt at an
Arbonne business, which didn’t work, and her second — which led to an incredible rise to
NVP in one year!
Amazing as it sounds, I was first introduced to Arbonne in 1989. I was a young, stay-at-home mother of three beautiful children and I
absolutely LOVED the beautiful Swiss-heritage products. I became a Consultant to bring in extra income. Long story short: The timing was not
right and I lasted only a few months. Unfortunately, I could not see the Arbonne Opportunity; my vision was clouded with phone phobia,
shyness and lack of self-confidence.
Looking back, I had so much personal growth to do before it would be my time to really see the Arbonne Opportunity and shine. Every obstacle
I faced on my road back to Arbonne prepared me for the incredible success I have had on my path to becoming a National Vice President in
one year.
The two decades following my first attempt as an Arbonne Consultant were filled with ups and downs, as I struggled to rebuild my life after my
first marriage ended in bankruptcy. After living in survival mode for more than 15 years, raising my children as a single mom, I finally found the
determination and confidence to build two successful online businesses — a dog-collar design company and a jewelry design company. I was
NVP Char Blair posing with husband Robin Blair’s SLK Mercedes-Benz.
RVP Robin Blair and NVP Char Blair.
on top of the world, or so I thought, supporting my children independently and
rebuilding my credit enough to buy a house and car. To top it off, I met and
married the love of my life, my wonderful husband Robin.
I LOVED my life as an entrepreneur and thought I had the best job in the world —
working from home, designing beautiful products for a loyal and appreciative
customer base, and not having to do the rush-hour commute or work the dreaded
9-to-5 (which I believed was death to the creative spirit). But I realize now that
this was just a story I was telling myself, because the alternative of working in the
corporate world seemed so much worse.
SUCCESS STRATEGY
“Be unrealistically persistent
and wildly courageous.”
By early 2011 I finally began to feel the constraints of being the chief, cook and
bottle washer of two successful and demanding businesses. In ten years I rarely
took a day off, and all of my vacations were working vacations at either dog
shows or jewelry events. And to keep up with customer demand, I began working
longer hours, oftentimes starting at 4:30AM and at times not finishing till after
midnight. Being an entrepreneur also meant I had no job security, pension or sick
days — and likely no retirement ahead. When you are the creative force behind
your product, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Feeling constantly
overwhelmed became my norm, and I forgot how to breathe.
I am eternally thankful that somehow I made my way back to Arbonne. Or did
Arbonne made its way back to me?
The day I completed my Region with my daughter, Area
Manager Emery Truscott.
In May 2011 my good friend and jewelry customer, then RVP Jennifer Mercier, reintroduced me to the fabulous products and business. I fell head over heels in
LOVE with the RE9, the only product I have tried my whole adult life that really
made a difference in my skin. Since I had just celebrated my 49th birthday, I was
determined to fight the aging process as healthfully as I could.
Initially I wasn’t willing to look at the business, as I couldn’t imagine adding more
to my plate. I changed my mind, however, when on our doctor’s advice my
husband took extended stress leave from his Government job and we were faced
with 17 weeks of unpaid leave. I was also facing some of my own job-related
health issues — suffering from contact dermatitis, which made it painful to pick
up my tools, and early-onset cataracts, which made it impossible to see my
design projects in detail. For the first time, I realized I was not invincible and
maybe a Plan B was in order.
ENVP Michel Brisson; my Sponsor, ENVP Jennifer
Mericer; ENVP Debbie Neal; and myself at my Region
Celebration, February 2011.
With my 50th Birthday around the corner, I decided to try this Arbonne thing, just
to dip my toes in. On May 30th 2011, I became a Consultant for the second time.
I hadn’t yet made a decision to really do the business, willing only to try it out. But
then a revelation happened after I heard Debbie Neal speak at my Sponsor’s RVP
celebration, one week into my Arbonne business. I remember sitting in the
audience and having a moment of perfect clarity, a total emotional response. I
saw in a flash and felt with every fiber of my being that I could do this business —
and faster rather than slower. I knew immediately I was willing to go to the top
with full-out effort and follow Debbie’s lead to achieve. I jumped in with both feet
that day, June 4th, 2011, closed the back door and gave myself no other option
but to succeed. I don’t remember what Debbie said that reached into my very
soul, but I remember exactly what she made me feel: All things are possible when
you decide and make it so. She showed me what was possible.
VP white party hosted by NVP Chantal Gauthier, Summer
2012.
In just three and a half months, I earned my Mercedes-Benz. That same month, my
supportive husband and my gorgeous 27-year-old daughter Emery also joined my
business. And although the month I completed Region was one of the busiest of
my life, it also holds some of the best memories and is a real example of what
time leveraging is all about. Moments before my daughter walked down the aisle
on her wedding day, I was standing on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean at a
resort on Pender Island, BC, checking web stats on my cell phone. I watched our
numbers cross over and jumped up and down in my heels, screaming like a crazy
woman! My team brought it home for me while I was able to be there for my
daughter’s wedding and experience one of the happiest days of my life.
Nothing could replace that feeling!
Myself, my daughter Emery, my mother and my
granddaughter Audrey: Four generations using Arbonne.
Through the amazing efforts of my team and the blessings of the powers that be, I
was able to retire my husband from his Government job, replacing his salary five
months after I started my Arbonne business. Six months after that, my husband
earned his own Mercedes-Benz, becoming a Regional Vice President in May 2012.
And I’m thrilled to say my daughter is now an Area Manager on her way to Region
on the other side of the country in Victoria, BC.
I became a National Vice President on May 30th 2012 — on my one-year
anniversary of joining Arbonne. And I was completely thrilled to be recognized at
this year’s GTC as an ACE Award winner and to earn the #12 spot in the Parade of
Champions. I still have to pinch myself!
I am also so proud to say at this year’s CNTC conference we were #1 in Canada
for Revenue Generator 2012-SuccessLine — Area Managers, an accomplishment I
Poolside training with the Blair Nation, my house, August
2012.
share with all five of my directly promoted-out Area Managers, AM Michele Rouble,
RVP Suzanne Bird, RVP Robin Blair, AM Emery Truscott and RVP Stacey Cronyn. I
am forever grateful I’ve had such visionaries and world-class leaders join my
team. My thanks will never seem enough for the gratitude I feel. You guys ROCK.
I am eternally thankful to my Sponsor and friend for life, ENVP Jennifer Mercier,
and her brilliant husband AM Leo Dion for believing in me, taking me under their
wings and letting me virtually live at their house while I learned the system for
success. Or, as Leo would say, “If you want to be a duck, first learn to walk like a
duck and talk like a duck.” Thanks so much for teaching me to be a duck.
To my RVP leaders, Manuel Lafuente, Stacey Cronyn, Robin Blair, Sue Bird, you
infuse me with belief and inspire daily me by the incredible leaders you’ve
become. I don’t think, I know you are all ENVP’s. To Area Managers Emery
Truscott, Michele Rouble, and Angela Lencewicz, it is your time to shine and step
into your greatness to show that world what I see in you.
RVP Stacey Cronyn, ENVP Debbie Neal, myself and RVP
Manuel Lafuente.
To all the Consultants, District Managers and Area Managers in the Blair Nation,
my true joy will be to watch the next wave of leaders emerge, knowing in my heart
that is it there for each and every one of you when you decide.
To Debbie Neal, my mentor and friend. I thank you for your monumental vision
and for reaching into my soul and showing me what was possible and believing in
me. My gratitude is forever.
My husband Robin for his unconditional love and support and unwavering belief
that I could do anything I focused on. I love you, forever and a day!
To my Children, Emery Truscott, Dallas Swim and Mackenzie Swim, my journey to
Arbonne was because of you three and my desire for a better life for us all was the
reason I kept pushing myself to do better when I knew better. I love you all so
much from the depth of my soul.
My husband RVP Robin Blair, RVP Sue Bird, myself, ENVP
Jennifer Mercier and her husband AM Leo Dion.
I count my blessings every single day, and my heart is filled with such gratitude
for all that Arbonne has brought to my life and to my family. It is a complete joy to
see those we have sponsored transform their lives so dramatically. I feel
completely on purpose and my commitment going forward is to help as many
people as humanly possible change their lives and circumstances with the gift of
Arbonne.
People ask me over and over again how I was able to get to Nation so quick and I
always pause and say, “Actually, it took me 22 years —but I finally got it!”
My Sponsor, ENVP Jennifer Mercier, and myself, VP
poolside party, 2012.
The Arbonne Independent Consultants featured in this EOA has achieved the rank of Regional Vice President or National Vice President.
The average number of active Arbonne Independent Consultants who achieved this rank and average compensation is described further in
the Independent Consultant Compensation Summary (ICCS) available on Arbonne’s website at iccs.arbonne.com.
The testimonial in this EOA is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent income projections. The results discussed in this EOA
by the featured Arbonne Independent Consultant are not typical and should not be relied upon by prospective or current Arbonne
Independent Consultants as an indication of what they should expect to earn. Actual results for each Arbonne Independent Consultant will
vary depending upon individual effort, time, skills and resources. Arbonne makes no guarantees regarding income.