Alright everyone, here I am officially! My name is Sunshine
(yes, for real), and I am a Damsel in Defense Independent Pro, and I have been
for just over a year.
When I first started, I have to admit, I had done so much
direct sales that I wasn't excited about doing it again, but I was completely
in love with the products. That was the first thing that grabbed me.
I had a couple of parties, and my Pro was talking to me
about doing it, and my husband, the analytical one of us, took a look at the
hard numbers of this business. He sat me down one day and said, "Honey,
this is going to be big. The numbers don't lie. In their first year, they blew
most other direct sales companies out of the water, especially for being a
brand new category of company. Where would you be if you were in the first wave
of Scentsy consultants?"
So, I halfheartedly signed up, not because I didn't believe
in the products, but I didn't believe in myself. My Pro was ecstatic that I made the plunge,
and since she has become my beautiful fiery red headed director, Karin Mitchell.
The first thing that was different about being a Damsel in
Defense rep was the leadership.
Normally, I was courted to join a team with promises of training and
support, and as soon as my kit arrived, my upline was too busy to help me
figure out what was going on. With
Damsel in Defense, that didn’t happen.
Our team is a sisterhood, and we cheer each other on, lift each other
up, and teach each other all along the way.
We all bring experiences into this business that are important and
necessary for all of us to have a full experience. I can even call people who aren’t in my
upline organization at all and pick their brains. We’re all Facebook friends, we all run to
each other with big hugs every time we see another Damsel sister, and most
importantly, we all heal together.
The next big thing that happened to me was seeing the video of our founders in the Philippines
learning about Wipe Every Tear, our international charity that we support. As I got to know the corporate team little by
little, I started to see them for the beautiful people they were, not just some
ladies who had a great idea and started a company.
After that, I got two phone calls in one month from women
thanking me for the stun gun, because they had to use it. I was TORN UP! I had
no idea what they would have done without Damsel products and knowledge! I was still a baby in this company, so I was
still working within my friends and family circle. These were ladies that were dear friends whom
I loved very, very much. I cried and
cried, and at that moment, I was all in, 100% career damsel, a crime fighting
super hero.
I immediately grew a team without even really trying super
hard, promoted up the ranks high enough to be invited to leadership training,
where I got so sick that I had to be
flown home to go to a Portland hospital.
The day I got home, two things happened. I got a phone call from Bob Hipple, our CEO
just checking up on me and making sure I didn’t need anything. At this point he didn’t know me from any
other pro, which means he would have called any of us. He cared enough about each and every one of
us that he called just to make sure I didn't need anything.
The second thing that happened was getting an instant message
from Mindy Lin, one of the co-founders, again, asking me if I needed anything and
telling me how sorry she was that I had to miss the second half of Leadership
Training. I barely met her for five
seconds, yet as soon as she found out I had to fly home, she was making sure I
was okay.
This, my friends, is a company with more heart than any I
have ever been a part of.
Then, Mindy and Bethany came to Portland for a drop-in rally
and I got to really meet them for the first time. As soon as I walked in the door, Mindy and
Bethany were hugging me and asking how I was.
I got to hear them speak live for the first time about their mission
trip, and I swear I could see those girls from the Philippines staring at me
through their eyes. I knew then, that
no matter how hard the road got, I would not fail them.
A few more months rolled by, and I got another message from
Mindy Lin asking if I would give a blurb on my story for National Sexual
Assault Awareness month. Gritting my
teeth, I agreed, and there I was, showcased on the corporate page, then shared all
throughout the land. As scary as it was,
it was also uplifting and healing….., and then was asked to speak at the second
annual conference.
Wait....you want me to what? Tell my entire story in front
of about 250 people? Holy. How do you say no to that? How do you say yes?
You see, I'm a survivor, not only of sexual abuse from my
father, but several attackers and tragedies that go along with spending your
first 30 years as a victim. I was terrified but ready to use my story for good.
I took the stage, microphone shaking in my hand, voice
shaking in my throat, and knees shaking beneath me and told my story. Half way through, when the gasp happened
where it always does when I tell my story, I wanted to run away and hide, but I
didn’t. I stayed and kept going because
there is healing beyond the gasp.
Since, I have fallen more and more in love with what I do.
I'm not a sales person. I am an educator who happens to also have self-defense
tools, road side kits, and home protection products that you can purchase. I
teach common sense self-defense above all, and give women the education and
tools to survive. Through that, I have birthed countless survivors from the
depths of being victims. I have given light to so many who were trapped in
darkness, and I get emails every single day thanking me for my courage to take
a stand and help them see that there is peace through healing. Because of that, I will keep talking, keep
sharing, and keep going through the gasp.
Damsel in Defense has given me more healing in one year than
anything else I have tried all of my life.
I have created bonds stronger than steel with some of the most gracious
and amazing women on the planet. I have
seen amazing things, and they just keep coming.
If you’re a victim, there is help. I can help you find it. If you’re a survivor, there are people who
need you. I can show you how to help
them. If you believe in becoming a crime
fighting super hero, I can help with that too.
Are you ready to change your life? Let’s talk.
sunshine@yourdamseldiva.com
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