Bonding over lattes, having a daily lunch partner and a shared motivation to complete the to-do list. Having a work best friend certainly has it perks and is a proven asset, as studies show that people that actually want to be around each other proves to have the highest productivity.
As noted in Harvard Business Review, research shows that workers are happier in their jobs when they have friendships with co-workers. Employees report that when they have friends at work, their job is more fun, enjoyable, worthwhile, and satisfying. Surveys have found that close friendships boost employee satisfaction by 50% and people with a best friend at work are seven times more likely to engage fully in their work.
Two up-and-coming Avon Representatives, Ann Fritz and Natasha Lightner, are real-world evidence of these research findings. With a friendship spanning nearly 18 years, this best friend duo has partnered to grow their respective Avon businesses and are having a blast doing it!
Ann and Natasha, both former finance and audit professionals, left high stress corporate roles a few years ago to pursue another full time job — motherhood. Both women had worked hard over 15 years to climb the corporate career ladder, but reached a point where they found their work demands left little time for their young families.
Natasha lead the way first in 2015. Recognizing that her job wasn’t aligned with the demands of raising a young family and, most important for her, being present in their lives, she decided to walk away from her corporate career with no Plan B. After a few months at home, she decided that she needed to think about a new path. She missed the things that a “formal” job provides, such as feeling satisfied, recognized and rewarded. There was a clear void. Having been a lifelong Avon customer, she decided to pursue a new challenge —selling Avon products. Initially, her primary motivation was getting the amazing products at a discount and being a personal shopper, but quickly the opportunity proved to be so much more.
As her best friend, Ann not only supported Natasha’s journey, she also became one of her best customers. Within six months, Natasha’s Avon career was progressing and she joined leadership. Natasha asked Ann if she would join her in this amazing journey by signing up to get the products she was already buying for a discount and start her own business. At that time, Ann was still working a full-time job and struggling with the decision to either quit and stay at home or find another job closer to home.
Having a best friend that had just made a similar courageous decision was the support Ann needed to leave her full time career and stay at home with her kids. A few months later, after Ann had some time to decompress from the career change, she and Natasha went to Avon’s RepFest, an annual meeting with Avon Representatives from around the country. This experience was a game changer for Ann as she was able to see the potential of making Avon a career. Fast-forward two years into their Avon careers; both Ann and Natasha are extremely successful Avon Representatives. Both are in leadership and mentor roles, have earned free, all expense paid trips to the Bahamas, cash incentives and so much more.
How do they do it? Some tips below on how Ann and Natasha make being best friends + business partners = a recipe for success.
- Creating a strong unified team: Although both Ann and Natasha are independent Representatives, the secret to success is working together as a strong unified team. Natasha’s journey may have started alone, but once Ann joined her team the passion to share in the success and support others became the focus. This is the key to success and what they want for everyone on their team.
- Build a Community: Inviting others to be part of something bigger and be part of a community of like-minded individuals is critical. Team members feel encouraged when they realize that their Avon team is not only a work support network, but a family, sisterhood, and circle of friends. When you lean into people around you, the journey to be your own boss doesn’t have to be lonely.
- Develop ownership of responsibilities: Both women are dedicated to sharing the responsibility when it comes to managing a page created on Facebook for their teams. This is where they share relevant business information, support the success of all team members, provide training and post helpful tips. Recently, they started having team webinars to discuss hot topics in the industry and help educate team members on the endless opportunities related to leadership and sales.
- Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate: Collaboration with each other is a key strategy in ensuring success across their teams. By bouncing ideas off of one another and pushing the other to be their best, it helps in carrying the load of leading a team. Part of their philosophy is leading by example.
- Lead by example: Both have participated in an Avon- sponsored Coaching Program as well as Social Selling Webinars to help improve their team leadership and utilize the most current technology in order to increase sales and team participation. Part of their philosophy is leading by example and they are always working towards incentives offered by Avon, showing their teams they aren’t just talking the talk but also walking the walk!
Ann and Natasha now have the freedom to be their own bosses and work on their own terms and own time; as little or as much as they want, while still earning an income. No more commuting to the office or having to adhere to strict deliverables and deadlines. Ann and Natasha now focus their energies on building their teams through recruiting and mentoring team members toward having their own successful Avon careers. Both women get so much from working together. Having a close friend to work with has allowed them to stay better focused on the goals at hand. If you enjoy what you’re doing and enjoy the people around you, it makes you care more about what you’re doing. When you care about what you’re doing, you’re more productive. Ann and Natasha want to help use their model of success by inviting others to join them by being part of a network of like-minded women and a community that makes you feel like you’re a part of something bigger.
Working their new careers in a “non-traditional” office setting can have some challenges at first, but creating a dedicated space in your home that is just for you helps. It also allows you to walk away from your business when it’s time to focus on other priorities. Setting boundaries when the kids are home is another key to success. Summer time is especially hard when the kids are home from school and schedules are less regimented but designing a solid schedule and communicating that to the family helps to ensure all priorities get accomplished. Ann and Natasha feel blessed to have husbands who support them and kids who are happy to have their mom at home. As a result of Natasha and Ann’s leap of faith to take on a more non-traditional career, they have been able to build a business from home and improve their overall family lives. With less stress and more flexibility, the women can better balance being more present for their children at home while contributing the effort and time needed to build a successful business through Avon.
The best thing about being your own boss is that you can work where you want and when you want. Soccer games, cheer practice, traveling to games and competitions, at the mall, grocery store, etc. Ann and Natasha make schedules that fit in their lives not the other way around. Their Avon businesses give them the flexibility to change their schedules as needed. Since they are their own bosses, they no longer have the fear or anxiety of asking permission to take time off to take their kids to a doctor’s appointment or to simply enjoy a summer day with their family.
Ann and Natasha have endless opportunities with Avon. They want to continue to build their businesses, move up in leadership, engage and support team members. They also want to earn more trips with Avon, and help others by raising money for people in need. Recently, Ann and Natasha both raised over $2,200 each for the Avon 39 Walk to End Breast Cancer in New York City this October. Both women prepared and trained for the big event in advance by logging countless hours and hundreds of miles. Training also served a dual purpose as it gave them time to strategize on business opportunities! The walk was an unforgettable experience that brought together women of all backgrounds, survivors and those who truly wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. Current friendships were strengthened and new ones were formed with fellow walkers. This is yet another example of an amazing friendship and business partnership in action!
