At Fempreneur Collective, we’re committed to supporting women in business every step of the way. That’s why we’re excited to announce our expert interview series, where we chat with members of our community to bring you insights, advice, and real-world experience in the world of entrepreneurship. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, our expert interview series is here to help you succeed.
Our first guest expert interview is with Cindy Vallone. Cindy has an international team of doTERRA Wellness Advocates who help people around the globe meet their wellness goals, and we’re so excited to share this interview with you!
Where did your journey as a woman in business begin?
My background is in training and development, corporate consulting, and medical device sales – I have a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership so I’ve always enjoyed learning new things and teaching and collaborating with others so looking back it all makes sense why everything feels like I’m right where I’m supposed to be but it certainly wasn’t planned out…
In fact, almost seven years ago – I didn’t even know what an essential oil was – but I knew that I was tired of the negative side effects from drugs that I was using for my headaches and migraines and I was starting to become really interested in learning more about toxin-free living. A friend of mine shared with me some alarming facts about the number of harmful chemicals in products that I thought were safe and natural that I had used on my kids when they were babies and I just started to dig a bit more into all of this and quickly realized that we needed an overhaul.
I was and am a busy person so the thought of looking up each ingredient was daunting and exhausting so when I learned about doTERRA I honestly felt relieved that there was a science focused company that was doing all the research for me and creating ‘everyday’ products that our family needed so I started to experiment bit by bit with the products and the oils and our medicine cabinet started to transform and we started to use oils as our ‘go to’ for things that would come up in our lives. Little things like a cut or scrape or bigger things like earaches and the flu. I had zero intention of building a business with doTERRA – in fact, I was a customer for about a year before I started my partnership with them.
What challenges did you have to overcome at the beginning of your journey? What lessons did these challenges teach you?
Although I had a training and sales background I really floundered at the beginning of my journey. I had to take a hard look at what I was doing and learn to pivot. Learn to try new things and allow myself to be creative (which you can’t really do in a typical corporate job). Some things worked well, some things not so much. I also had to learn that “done is better than perfect” and not to be so darn hard on myself. It’s definitely a journey!
We all have something that sets us apart, both as humans and as business owners. What do you consider to be the thing that makes you uniquely magical? How has this shown up in your business?
I don’t know about ‘magical’ but what I can tell you is that I really do CARE deeply about helping others and teaching them that they have options that are empowering. Many of my customers have become my friends and I get excited to hear what’s new in their lives and try to support them whenever I get the chance.
What is the biggest challenge for you as a female business owner?
When you’re a mom and a business owner it’s a lot of juggling and we may feel like something is always suffering just a bit. I think managing time and trying to be 100% focused (not letting your mind wander) is a big challenge for me. I love what I do so my brain is always humming along with new ideas. My kids are older now so it’s easier than trying to fit things in between nap times or when the kids go to bed. Carving out time for your business is critical. I don’t think the “nooks and crannies” method works very well – it just creates a lot of stress.
What mantra do you live by?
“what would you attempt if you knew you could not fail.”
What do you do for encouragement or to find motivation?
I’m really lucky that my doTERRA team is nurturing and collaborative and there’s always someone willing to lend a hand, share an experience or guidance. I know not everyone is as lucky and I don’t take it for granted. I also have a big support system at home – my family are my biggest cheerleaders and help celebrate both the small and big wins with me.
What do you want to achieve next?
doTERRA is an international company so I’d like to branch out a little further and focus on healing the world (bit by bit).
What is one actionable tip you’d like every woman in business to know?
Every day we have the opportunity to change someone’s life in a positive way. I’m a big proponent of the to-do list. Each day (or I do it the night before so things are all buttoned up) write down 3 things that you will accomplish – no matter how big or small. Write it down – physically write it down – and then cross it off. It feels good! Entrepreneurship can be hard and lonely so it’s nice to know that at least 3 things will get done each day. Be realistic too.
Share something about yourself that’s interesting and might surprise someone in our community?
We are volunteer puppy raisers with Guide Dogs for the Blind. It’s an amazing non-profit organization and our whole family is involved. It’s something we do together while giving back at the same time. Having a puppy is always a wonderful break in my day and yes, I post a lot of puppy pics!
Connect with Cindy:
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our guest expert Cindy, who generously shared their insights and expertise with our community. It’s opportunities like these that help our community to grow and thrive, and we’re grateful for everyone who participates.
We hope you enjoyed this expert interview series from the Fempreneur Collective community. Our mission is to provide a supportive environment for women in business to connect, learn, and grow, and we believe that this series helps us achieve that mission.