Moms Talk Network

In this week’s edition of Buzz a Mom, we talked to single mom Laurie Ayers, a Star Director for Scentsy – a decorative, fragrant alternative to candles. Laurie shared some great tips on running her business, managing her time on-line, and designating chores to kids. She also shared a great business philosophy of being prepared with other projects when the economy goes south.

What would someone want to choose a Scentsy candle instead of another brand?

Scentsy wickless are safe candle alternatives. There’s no wick, no flame, no fire, no soot, no smoke. Also because of the wax blend we use, our wax is loaded with more scent that any vegetable or soy wax could hold. Also one of our candle bars holds as much fragrance as a jar candle three times its size!

Can you share some creative ways to display candles?

To display them? They’re electric, decorative fragrant lamps – We have about 65 different colors and styles to fit any decor.

I love candles but with kids underfoot, I worry about safety and rarely use them. Do you have any safety tips to share?

My safety tip would be not to burn candles! Annually 23,600 fires in residences are caused by candles, resulting in 1,525 injuries, 165 fatalities and $390 million in direct property loss. Because Scentsy is wickless and flameless, they’re child and pet-friendly. The 25-watt light bulb melts the wax to a temperature that is safe to touch. You can also leave your warmer on 24/7, have no worries yet still enjoy the ambiance created by our light and fragrance.

How do you manage mom time, and running a house, along with running your business?

It’s actually not too bad. I’ve always been a single parent so I don’t know what it’s like to have help or to have a spouse to also add to the formula as far as balancing goes. I started working at home when my youngest was an infant. I just worked when she slept or worked with her in my arms or next to me.

Now that both of my girls are in school all day, I have my days free for just me. When the girls get home, then I’m on their time–and I don’t work. I have always had no problem NOT answering the phone when it rings. That’s what voicemail is for. I don’t let anyone else control my time. As far as running the house, it’s my house as well as the girls’.

Each child has a night when she’s fully responsible to plan, prepare and clean up dinner. They’ve known how to run the dishwasher, microwave, vacuum and washing machine since a very young age. It’s shared responsibility.

What are your best time management tips you’d like to share with other moms?

Don’t do it all yourself. If you have a family, put them to work too. Also be very particular what forums and social networks you participate in, they can be huge time suckers. If you truly can’t spend a brief amount of time checking in on things, then set the timer on the microwave and log off after that time.

Could you explain a little about being a personal defense buff? Do you focus on martial arts or is it a combination of things?

Sure, however that business is currently hibernating. My business partner and I cofounded a professional security services company called Defensive Countermeasures Institute. My background and education is in Homeland Security and Martial Arts (Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do), so it was a natural fit.

Then over a year ago when the economy started to go belly up, we lost 100% of our contracts. After tirelessly trying to get new ones, we opted to allow the business to go dormant for a while. We’re not out of business by any means, as we are confident that the economy will turn around and there again will be monies in budgets for Homeland Security. In the meantime we’re working on some writing projects to ensure we’re not out of sight, out of mind.

I signed up in 2006 with Scentsy, for a personal discount, never with the intention of owning a candle business. Then as our security contracts started to cancel and not renew, I saw the writing on the wall. I quickly scrambled to earn an income that could support my family without Defensive Countermeasures. Now I’m a Star Director and I work that business entirely on-line.

• More Buzz About Laurie at Work At Home Moms Talk Network
• More Buzz About Laurie at Profitable Mommy Blogging
• More Buzz About Laurie at Family Foodies

blog post by Erin and Marya