Ivanna Diaz was just 4 years old when her mother, Sandra Diaz, became an Avon Representative. Sandra had been working a full-time job, spending long hours at the office with few breaks and little appreciation from her boss. Sandra struggled with having to put her job before her kids and having heard of the work flexibility with Avon, she decided to go all in.
Ivanna hadn’t initially considered pursuing the same career path as her mom, but when she turned 18 she decided to follow in her mom’s footsteps and became an Avon Representative as a side hustle. But it wasn’t until after her mom revealed why she herself had joined Avon that Ivanna began thinking of it as a full-time career. Hearing her mom’s story firsthand helped everything fall into place, and Ivanna shifted her focus to what was really important: putting herself and her future first. Knowing she eventually would want to settle down and have children someday, Ivanna decided to set herself up for career success that would allow her to be present as a mom when the time was right. And so, she heavily invested herself in her Avon business.
Working with your mom may seem intimidating, but the duo have found the perfect balance and cultivated a rewarding partnership that has lasted throughout the years. Below are some tips that have helped the two maintain and grow their business and personal relationship along the way:
- Take a Vested Interest Early: Ivanna grew up helping with the family business with her mom, from prepping brochures to hosting team meetings to going door-to-door to acquire new sales. Although the help came with incentives such as being treated to a movie or a day at an amusement park, the real reward was developing a respectable work ethic. Parents can figure out unique ways to get their kids involved early to give them a glimpse of not only their career but also instill values such as responsibility, work discipline and more.
- Overcoming Challenges: All careers come with their respective challenges, but working with family means you are never alone and tough times are more bearable when you have someone else there with you. Growing up and becoming an adult can be confusing at times and being to rely on someone like your mom for sound advice is helpful. Ivanna notes, “I’d definitely rather have my mom coach me through things than a boss. I guess we all feel more comfortable around our loved ones when it comes to making mistakes and nothing compares to a mother’s love.”
- Balancing Act: Just like any other colleagues, a mother-daughter duo can balance each other out with their unique personality traits and skill sets. Sandra is very personable, assertive, and great at forming relationships with customers and team members. She just knows how to bring people together and make an impact with every word she says. Meanwhile, Ivanna is more savvy with marketing and keeping up with product knowledge and current trends. Using creativity a lot at work, it helps to develop and make content for their full Avon team. The two come from different generations and it is useful for attracting multiple age groups both as customers and for their Avon team. Complementing the other person’s strengths is a key asset into growing a positive business.
- All About Trust: Who is more trustworthy than your own mom? As a business person, you don’t really want anyone on your team to have hardships, especially if they are related to you. An external boss may be demanding and not help to prioritize personal hardships but a mom will encourage you and help you balance these moments. Ivanna pushed herself harder because she didn’t wait to fail her mom and vice versa. They kept each other going when times got tough and overcoming challenges led to many rewarding experiences and opportunities.
- Setting Goals: Identifying goals in advance – both mutual and individual – can help you stay on track and keep each other focused. Ivanna and Sandra both had a mutual goal and passion to travel more and therefore, worked together to achieve certain sales goals with Avon to earn trips to places around the world where they can celebrate their successes together. Sandra says “It is important to understand the goals, keep each other accountable to reach them, and celebrate the little and big successes along the way.”
The duo has reaped the rewards as a family for years. Working together has strengthened their own relationship as well as others around them. They’ve gotten further working as a team, rather than working independently. The Avon “boss” life has allowed for Sandra to earn trips, maintain a healthy work-life balance and truly embody career independence. Sandra was a constant source of inspiration for Ivanna and she wants to emulate what she has accomplished and achieved over the years. Ivanna considers her mom the ultimate “beauty boss” and feels fortunate to follow in her footsteps and work together side-by-side to grow their business. Working as a mother-daughter duo has given them the chance to achieve the impossible and bring out the best in one another as business leaders.
