Hustling Toward A Deeper Meaning | Branding Photo Shoot | Morrison, Colorado
Stop-the-merry-go-round.
Some of us were feeling this even before the pandemic came and limited our activities, making each day a little more unbelievably like Groundhog Day.
Motherhood can sometimes be an endless list of tasks that are immediately undone, and you can get to the end of the day wondering if you moved one step forward or only two steps back. So how do we transform the mundane into something meaningful?
Many friends have paired the stay-at-home life with network marketing. From the outside, I had questions and many assumptions about those who sign up to sell: are they in it for the money, the distraction, the connections? Does it somehow add meaning and enrich their lives? I realized the best way to find the answers was to ask someone who is in it.
My friend Dorsey Beckman runs a business called River Root Essentials, and I was so pleased when she agreed to let me interview her about her business in hopes of shedding a little light on what may be a mysterious world to some of us.
Holly Freeman Photography: I understand you got into essential oils because of headaches in your youth and for postpartum depression, but what made you decide to take it on as a business?
Dorsey Beckman: There were a couple of reasons: one, it was a way to stay home with the kids and do something, and two, to have a purpose other than being a mom. It was a way to do something I’m passionate about. You hear these recommendations that you should pick something you’re passionate about and make it a career, so I thought, I’ll try it. That was just after I got pregnant with my second in 2016.
Holly: In thinking about network marketing, some outsiders may be scared of being taken advantage of, or of being an object that helps someone reach a business goal. It sounds like you have had a different experience. Can you tell me your experience of community in network marketing?
Dorsey: I have those same fears, and it sometimes stops me from doing my passion. What I’ve learned is that the network marketing business model is about helping those just getting started to succeed because when they succeed you do, too. The group I’m part of is the most encouraging and inspiring community I’ve ever been in. For example, there are free classes that address deep questions like what fears prevent us from doing what we love, and they relate to all other aspects of life. They’re just good educational tools to have. I find I am part of a community, that I have access to resources and people to help me succeed in my business if I choose to use them.
Holly: What are some of the challenges you face running a business while raising young children?
Dorsey: Starting a business you have to stay true to your passion and your "why." I was going through so many unknowns as a mom, and it was challenging to come back to my "why" in regards to my business. Life gets so crazy, it’s hard to dedicate the time and energy when you’re feeling frustrated and tired. So it’s taken baby steps, and it’s gone a lot slower than I imagined.
Holly: Can you speak to some of the intangible benefits of running your own business?
Dorsey: As I strive to reach goals in my business, there’s so much personal development along the way. There are these mastermind courses offered through Young Living that focus on personal growth, confidence, and encouragement for building a community to fall back on as you advance yourself.
So I’ve definitely experienced the benefit of self-development, having to dig deep and realize this is my passion, challenging myself to go back to it even though I am exhausted, picking myself up after failures.
Holly: Are you referring to business failures or personal failures?
Dorsey: The business and the personal bleeds together because a personal failure means I’m less motivated to work on my business. And in network marketing, getting a “no” felt like a personal failure at first. Now I’ve grown, and a “no” is OK. I just think, What can I learn for next time?
Holly: It seems like essential oils are a part of a larger focus for you on health and wellness. Can you describe some of your goals for your business beyond sales?
Dorsey: My purpose is really empowering women—in particular stay at home moms—to bring wellness to their homes, helping them see that when they are home and not feeling good either physically, mentally or spiritually, there are things they can bring in to help them feel better. They have options to do it themselves.
I have started a podcast, it’s in its infancy stage, but so far it’s been about tangible tools you can listen to and incorporate into your life. For example, one was a heart meditation and another was guidance on a letter you write to yourself and read every day. Tools for affirmation.
I have plans for a blog and ultimately workshops down the road.
Holly: Naming a business can be such a challenge. Can you tell us what your business name means and how you decided on it?
Dorsey: I have always been around rivers, I just feel they are deeply rooted in my being. They’re full of inspiration, always flowing, can be big or small, calm or turbulent. They’re a reflection of life, of hope and inspiration. Secondly, I realized with my kids the importance of being rooted and grounded in who you are and in your purpose, so I combined the two: River Root Essentials.
Holly: Full disclosure: I approached you about a branding photo shoot for your business, but you said “yes” pretty readily. Can you talk about the power of images and their use for promoting your business?
Dorsey: There’s a huge need for images in business. It’s so important to see someone’s face behind a name, it makes it more real. I was drawn to your tag-line about being for “down-to-earth” people: I’m a nature lover. I feel so connected to the earth and inspired by nature, so it was powerful for me to see myself in the pictures you took, and they enable me to share my vision with other people.
Many thanks for Dorsey Beckman for sharing her thoughts on network marketing. You can learn more about her business at River Root Essentials.
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