I recently made the decision to leave my j.o.b. Yes, this was a big decision, and definitely life changing, but I’m finally free and thrilled for what’s to come.
I worked retail eight years, eight months, and eleven days, but who’s counting? I started working retail because I could work weekends and still be available for my family during the week.
I had heard that Nordstrom was an amazing company so I applied to work there and I had a phone interview, which actually did not go well at all because I wasn’t hired:(
Turns out being at home for 8 years I wasn’t prepared for these kinds of interviews… Yet, I decided I wanted to work there and I knew I was going to get that job and applied again.
And that time, I got it!
My Resume Status…
Now, Nordstrom wasn’t the first big company in my exciting corporate life. I have always enjoyed working for larger companies for some reason. I guess the stability of working for a large organization gave me a sense of security. Or perhaps it’s because I’m competitive, so my resume always looks good.
Back in the day, I worked for Cargill, the largest family owned corporation in the world, for thirteen years and four months, but who’s counting. I then worked at Merrill Lynch–who hasn’t heard of Merrill Lynch. If you haven’t heard of Merrill Lynch, you’ve been living under a rock. I don’t remember how long I worked there, but I had three children under the age of three when I resigned.
When I was ready to get back in the workforce, I had heard of Nordstrom and it totally fit my competitive personality. In fact, I discovered that earning awards and recognition motivated me through the years, which is probably one of the things that ultimately drew me to affiliate marketing too. I’ve earned free trips, money, jewelry, titles, and a few other trinkets along the way because the recognition kept me in the game.
Dirty Little Secrets…
The first dirty little secret about retail is that many are paid straight commission – no salary. And because I worked straight commission, I quickly learned the true meaning of customer service. I learned that the more value I gave my customers, the more they trusted me. Hence, my paycheck was a little larger.
The more value you give your customer, the more they trust you and the more they will buy – a BIG lesson that I have brought with me into my online business today as well.
The second dirty little secret I learned about working corporately, which took me a long time to figure out, was how crucial it was for me to put my family first. I joined Nordstrom because at first it worked well with my family schedule. Initially working weekends and evenings worked well because I could still volunteer at school and be part of all my kids’s activities. However, I was still beholden to my employer and I had a boss who I needed to ask for time off.
New Status…
I became a digital marketer because I lost my passion for working weekends and evenings, while my family enjoyed free time without me. My family meant everything to me and I started the job to be able to work AND spend more time with them. You could say, I lost my competitive edge because my kids’ activities changed.
Last month I resigned from Nordstrom because my kids needed me more on weekends and going online full time allowed me to be in control of my schedule. Finally, I could spend all the time in the world with my kids.
Some may say affiliate marketing or any online marketing is some sort of scheme. You might be surprised to find out that many corporations use similar commission or incentive based systems to pay their employees.
Not only that, many retail stores even have their own hooks based on how much a customer spends in a one year time period. The customer will reach certain levels and receive different benefits based on how much they spend. Here is how the Nordstrom Nordy club works based on how much is spent in one year.
- Member: $0–$499.
- Insider: $500+/card members automatically unlock Insider status.
- Influencer: $2,000+
- Ambassador: $5,000+
- Icon: $15,000+ using a Nordstrom credit card.
Sounds like a pyramid scheme, right?!
So, today I am focused full time on my affiliate marketing business. My time in corporate America, especially with Nordstrom gave me some keen insights into how to generate sales and interact with customers.
And I’m using that to grow and scale my business.
Plus, I got a glimpse at just how competitive I really am. And being competitive makes me want to be the best in my business, which is why I quickly became a leader at my affiliate marketing company.
Today, instead of trying to please my corporate bosses and living on their terms, I’m doing things I want to and that I enjoy, and people respect my opinion and look to me for help.
When I got back into the corporate world at Nordstrom, it was in large part because I felt that it was a great way to get paid for a schedule that worked for me. It turns out, the best way to get paid for a schedule that works for me, was to work for MYSELF.
Yes, I am an Affiliate Marketing Entrepreneur. I work from home. I am a sales person. If you would like to pick my brain and work side-by-side with me, I have a solution for you. Set up time with me on my calendar.
Listen, time is your number one asset. YOU should control your life.
Let’s set up a time to chat…. ===>> click here
Another simple and easy to use tool.
Trust me, I’m new at this and I make mistakes. However, I’ve been working this little side-gig for three years, eight months, and a few days… but who’s counting! Actually, you might want to pay close attention. I am a professional and I just moved into the status of Builder from Producer.
