by Vic Pfefer

The lives of educators can be rewarding and frustrating. Most entered the field because of their interest in helping people, especially children. Unfortunately, the pay scale of educators tends to be be in the lower quartile of the  salaried occupations (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), especially when you consider the amount of time that is required for lesson planning, grading, etc, that tends to take place after “working hours”. This situation is compounded by the fact that school budgets are being slashed and many teachers feel obligated to pick up the slack and buy supplies out of their own pockets.

Direct Sales is a perfect way for educators to generate additional income for themselves and can also be a great way to raise funds to help support their school, if that is a motivator.  Many direct sales products ( jewelry, handbags, cosmetics, etc) are well positioned to take advantage of the demographics of both the teacher/seller and the buyer/parent, which tend to be dominated by women. The majority of direct sales take place in the evening and on weekends which also works well for their schedules.

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1.   A good night’s sleep
2.   Finding forgotten money in your pocket
3.   Cuddling up with a partner in bed
4.   Crying with laughter
5.   Having a lie-in (staying in bed after waking up)
6.   Sleeping in newly laundered bedding
7.   Getting a bargain
8.   Making someone smile
9.   Catching up with an old friend
10. Laughing at things that have happened in the past

What are some of your greatest simple pleasures?

I have spoken with hundreds of people who are trying to figure out which direct sales company is right for them. Some people call and have no idea what to ask whereas others have a huge list of questions. Personally, I like it when they have a bunch of questions, it shows me they are really considering the opportunity and thinking it through before making a big decision.

I recommend asking the following questions when you are doing your search.

1. What makes the product different than other similiar companies?
2. What makes this opportunity stand out from the rest? Explain the compensation plan, quotas (if any) and recruiting requirements(if any)
3. Who is responsible for collecting taxes?
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